ASTANA: Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (Feb 28) vowed US support for Kazakhstan's independence as he sought greater engagement in Central Asia, where traditional alliances with Russia
The trip is the most senior to Central Asia by an official in the Biden administration and comes days after the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has received billions of dollars in Western support.
The United States at the same time has sought to spare Central Asia from actions on Russia. Washington has issued a sanctions exemption for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which carries Kazakh oil to the West and goes through Russia. President Vladimir Putin's justifications for the war, which included deploring the treatment of Russian speakers in Ukraine, have rattled nerves in Central Asian nations with sizable Russian minorities.
China, which the United States views as its most significant long-term challenger, has also been seeking to expand influence in the adjacent region.
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