Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has said that it will not recognize the Russian annexation of territories in the east of Ukraine resulting from referendums to be held there.
This announcement comes despite long-standing, close ties between Russia and the Central Asian republic.
The Ministry’s spokesman Aibek Smadiyarov specifically referred to the country’s commitment to the territorial integrity of states, while emphasizing the need for dialogue.
The situation can be interpreted as indicating a rift in the Eurasian Union and the possibility that China will take the opportunity to create closer ties with Central Asian countries at the expense of Russia.
