Abstract

The paper examines the evolution of relations between the European Union and the states of Central Asia after 2022, identifying Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a critical juncture that reshaped the post-Soviet order. The year 2022 constitutes not only a geopolitical watershed but also a turning point in the region’s perception of security, as Central Asian states refrained from recognizing the annexation of Ukrainian territories and intensified policies of economic diversification and multi-vector foreign engagement.

In this context, the European Union has shifted from a peripheral actor to a strategic partner, as reflected in the 2023 “Roadmap,” a joint document outlining the framework for enhanced cooperation. This framework encompasses the deepening of trade and investment ties, the institutionalization of regular economic dialogues, efforts to prevent sanctions circumvention, and expanded cooperation in the fields of energy and climate policy, including energy diversification and support for the transition toward renewable energy sources.

A crucial dimension of this new phase of partnership is the EU’s role as an “architect of corridors.” Particular importance is attributed to the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (Middle Corridor), which offers an alternative to the northern route passing through Russia. Investments under the Global Gateway initiative—targeting the modernization of ports, railways, and border infrastructure—aim to increase transit capacity and reduce transportation time between Asia and Europe.

Critical raw materials and nuclear fuel have also become central pillars of cooperation. Central Asia, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, is increasingly perceived as a strategic reservoir of rare earth elements, manganese, chromium, copper, cobalt, and uranium—resources indispensable for the EU’s green and digital transitions. Strategic memoranda provide for cooperation across the entire value chain, from geological exploration and extraction to local processing and the integration of supply chains into European industry.

The paper argues that after 2022, EU–Central Asia relations have undergone a structural transformation: from a partnership of limited political relevance to one with pronounced geopolitical, infrastructural, and resource-based significance, embedded within the broader processes of fragmentation and reconfiguration of the contemporary international order.