DISINFO: Borrell admitted that the West relies on Kazakhstan’s support in anti-Russia blockade
SUMMARY
At the European Union Transport Investment Forum, it was announced that the EU has allocated funds for the creation of a transport corridor from Central Asia to Europe through the South Caucasus and Turkey.
The main condition for receiving preferential loans is the refusal to engage in joint projects with Russia. These are political goals aimed at protecting common values, stated Borrell without hiding anything. If compliance is demonstrated, benefits are expected not only for Kazakhstan but also for other Central Asian countries.
The main condition is the rejection of transit for goods prohibited from entering the Russian Federation. Additionally, the EU openly encourages Kazakhstan to refrain from transporting Russian resources.
RESPONSE
This claim is part of a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the belligerent West trying to encircle Russia, made in the context of measures being taken to enforce the sanctions on Russia imposed by the EU in response to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In his speech at the Investors’ Forum for EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity, on 29 January 2024, High Representative of the EU Joseph Borrell emphasised that cooperation between EU and Central Asia partners have to be increased to address global challenges and increase economic security.
This disinformation claim is a distortion of the Borrell’s statement about “…a political purpose, which is [to] increase our partnership and to share a better future by increasing economic ties and also, defending the same values.” He also reminded about “critical importance of jointly defending the core principles of the United Nations” as “best way of ensuring peace and security in the world”.
The EU is basing its cooperation with its partners on shared values, principles and goals. The EU - Central Asia strategy outlines three priority strands for EU engagement: investing in regional cooperation and partnering for resilience and prosperity.
Borrell’s original statement differs significantly from the claim. Being Kazakhstan’s largest trade partner and investor, the EU values the support of Kazakhstan authorities, to make sure that goods exported from the EU to those countries do not reach Russia.
The EU works with Kazakhstan in order to prevent the use of its territory as a platform for the circumvention of EU sanctions imposed on Russia. An intensive dialogue is going on in this respect on both political and technical level.
During his second visit to Astana on November 28, 2023 David O'Sullivan, the European Union's Special Envoy for the implementation of sanctions, noted the respect the decision of other countries, like Kazakhstan, not to join the sanctions and welcomed constructive dialogue with the Kazakh authorities regarding sanctions circumvention.
O'Sullivan stressed that ‘The purpose of these visits is not to persuade countries to adopt our sanctions or to align with them, but to discuss with them how they can avoid their jurisdiction being used as a platform for the circumvention of our sanctions or indeed as a platform for servicing the Russian military industrial complex.’
For more information on sanctions, please see also the link here.
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