Kazakhstan Signs More Than 10 Billion Euros in Deals With the EU on a Trade Route That Bypasses Russia

Kazakhstan and the European Union signed commercial agreements and memoranda during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's visit to Brussels, where the European bloc was described as the Central Asian country's largest trading and investment partner. Euronews put the total above 10 billion euros across roughly 30 deals, while Central Asian outlets reported a figure closer to 12 billion euros, including the purchase of 50 Airbus aircraft for about 7.1 billion euros.

Beyond aviation, the agreements covered critical raw materials and transport infrastructure, including financing for the Middle Corridor, a trade route that runs from Asia to Europe across the Caspian Sea and bypasses Russia. The European Investment Bank agreed to help fund road repairs along the corridor, and the two sides signed an aviation agreement opening Kazakhstan's market to European carriers.

For Brussels, the package is part of a strategy to secure access to the minerals needed for its energy transition while reducing dependence on supply routes through Russia. For Kazakhstan, long closely tied to Moscow's economy, it is a step toward a more balanced set of partners.