​Some Central Asian countries have made it clear that they are not ready to take risks and may join Western sanctions against Russia, TASS reports with reference to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mykhailo Galuzin.

This was stated by a Russian official at the third Central Asian conference of the Valdai discussion club, the most authoritative think tank in Russia.

“Although there are identical positions on the unacceptability and illegitimacy of unilateral economic restrictions, some Central Asian countries still do not want to take the corresponding risks and make it clear that they are ready to follow Western restrictive measures,” Galuzin said.

He argued that Russia does not dictate the direction of either foreign or domestic policy “as long as they do not conflict with mutual obligations, including those arising from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (rather than the Moscow-led military alliance), the Eurasian Union and the Commonwealth of Nations of Independent States”.

“We are sure that the capitals of Central Asia see and understand this: the artificial destruction of ties with Russia can have more serious consequences than the costs of allegedly secondary sanctions,” he added.

Galuzin emphasized that Russia is consistently trying to strengthen strategic partnership relations with the countries of Central Asia.

Russia’s influence among its allies is declining

The Russian official’s comments came as the United States and China seek to expand their influence in Central Asia, a region traditionally considered part of Moscow’s sphere of influence.

At the end of February, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken made a military trip to the region, taking part in the ministerial meeting of the heads of foreign affairs of Central Asian countries in the C5+1 format (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) in Astana. , Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan + USA).

Blinken then traveled to Uzbekistan, where he met with officials in Tashkent “to further develop the partnership on a range of bilateral and regional issues,” according to the State Department in Washington.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is holding an unprecedented summit in his country’s north this week with the leaders of five former Soviet republics in Central Asia, as China seeks to capitalize on waning Russian influence since the start of the war in Ukraine. a step that frightened, including Russia’s allies.

This China-Central Asia summit, the first of its kind, will bring together the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced last Monday.

The meetings will be held on May 18 and 19 in the city of Xi’an (in the north), the starting point of the ancient Silk Road.

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