Interesting mood music out of Kazakhstan, re relations with Russia in wake of war on Ukraine.
— Zoya Sheftalovich (@zoyashef) September 20, 2022
Astana has started detaining Russian trucks carrying sanctioned EU goods through its territory, Russia's state-run Izvestia reports today. 1/7
As a result of sanctions, trucks carrying European goods get to EU's border with Belarus, then transfer goods onto Belarusian or Russian vehicles for onward transport to places including Kazakhstan. (Russian/Belarus companies can't travel through EU.) 2/7
— Zoya Sheftalovich (@zoyashef) September 20, 2022
Now, the Russian transport ministry is complaining that Astana has demanded the drivers of these trucks produce permits to show EU goods are being legally transported, and is detaining trucks if they don't have them. 3/7
— Zoya Sheftalovich (@zoyashef) September 20, 2022
Astana hasn't joined Western sanctions against Russia, but Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has said he won't help Russian companies circumvent sanctions. Looks like he's putting his money where his mouth is. Which brings me to a second intriguing nugget. 4/7
— Zoya Sheftalovich (@zoyashef) September 20, 2022
Tokayev has an op-ed today on POLITICO. He says he's implementing "a full transformation of our national politics," reforming Kazakhstan into "a model of a presidential republic with a stronger parliament and more accountable government." 5/7https://t.co/ZARpRGE2n2
— Zoya Sheftalovich (@zoyashef) September 20, 2022
Tokayev never mentions Russia or the war. But he says in his op-ed: "Even in the face of major international pressures ... we won’t turn inward or opt for isolation ... we are doubling down on the liberal, international, open policies." 6/7
— Zoya Sheftalovich (@zoyashef) September 20, 2022
It's no coincidence that as Putin is on the back foot in war on Ukraine — as his teflon coating is starting to wear thin — the countries that used to firmly be in the Kremlin's orbit are pushing the boundaries. 7/7
— Zoya Sheftalovich (@zoyashef) September 20, 2022
Further reading by @GabrielCSGavin https://t.co/ppRIxROjlq
Last edited by Rhonin the wizard - on 20 September 2022❗️The #US Department of Justice has asked Congress to legalize the transfer of frozen #Russian assets to #Ukraine in response to the announced "referendums".
At least $ 300 billion of such assets are blocked in the United States. pic.twitter.com/jpNF1BF0jy— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 20, 2022
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