Overview
- Astana announced its accession during a White House meeting where President Trump hosted leaders from five Central Asian states.
- Trump hailed Kazakhstan as the first country of his second term to join the initiative and suggested other regional governments could follow.
- Kazakhstan’s government said the move is a natural extension of its foreign policy focused on dialogue, mutual respect and regional stability.
- Analysts note Kazakhstan and Israel have maintained full diplomatic relations since 1992, a view some call symbolic, which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disputed as a deeper upgrade.
- U.S. officials see the step as a bid to restart the accords after a wartime pause, with attention on whether Saudi Arabia advances discussions ahead of a planned November 18 visit to Washington.