Overview
- President Trump announced the move after a trilateral call with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Kazakhstan’s Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a White House summit with Central Asian leaders.
- Kazakhstan’s government confirmed accession and described it as a natural continuation of a foreign policy centered on dialogue, mutual respect, and regional stability.
- Because Israel and Kazakhstan have maintained full diplomatic relations since the early 1990s, U.S. officials cast the step as a signal to reinvigorate the normalization framework and help restore Israel’s standing after the Gaza war.
- Astana and Washington also signed a critical‑minerals agreement the same day, which U.S. officials highlighted as part of deeper economic and strategic ties.
- A formal signing ceremony is expected, with the administration seeking to leverage Kazakhstan’s entry for broader expansion of the accords as special envoy Steve Witkoff signaled more countries could follow.