The European Union supported the plan to build transport corridors in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan) bypassing Russia, in particular through Ukraine. It is regarding both the supply of energy resources and other trades.
This was stated by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell. According to him, Central Asia and the EU see each other as reliable partners.
“The EU is obviously interested in taking advantage of these changes. We must deepen ties, use the enormous potential [of Central Asian countries], which is represented in energy supplies of critical raw materials and new transport corridors that are not dependent on Russia,” Borrell said.
In particular, the Trans-Caspian transport route will be developed. Borrell already discussed this project in Kazakhstan.
The territory of Ukraine will also be involved in the projects. For example, according to the map published by Borrell, the route will go through Ukraine to Poland:
Transport corridors between the EU and Central Asia
“Changes in the geopolitical landscape – the fall of Kabul and the war against Ukraine – require us to invest much more in an increasingly important partnership in Central Asia,” Borrell summed up.
Previously, Russia had already criticized the expansion of cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and the West. This was especially true of Kazakhstan, which the Kremlin considers “not loyal enough” in light of the war waged against Ukraine.
As reported earlier, the European Commission proposed to change the development map of the European transport network. They want to completely remove Russia and Belarus from this map.
