WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Kazakhstan is set to join the Abraham Accords, a U.S.-brokered initiative aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and Muslim-majority countries.
The announcement followed Trump’s phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Trump said a formal signing ceremony will be held soon, adding that “many more countries” are seeking to join the accords.
Kazakhstan’s government confirmed that the decision was in the final stage of negotiations, describing it as a “natural continuation” of the country’s foreign policy centered on dialogue, mutual respect, and regional stability.
Although Kazakhstan already maintains diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that joining the Abraham Accords represents “an enhanced relationship” that opens new opportunities for economic development and regional cooperation.
The announcement came as Trump hosted the leaders of five Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — at the White House. The meeting is part of Washington’s effort to strengthen U.S. influence in Central Asia, a region long dominated by Russia and increasingly engaged by China.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that he would return to Washington for the official announcement, which he described as a “significant milestone.”
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain became the first countries to join the Abraham Accords in 2020, followed by Morocco later that year. Trump said he remains optimistic that Saudi Arabia will eventually join, though Riyadh has maintained that any normalization depends on progress toward a Palestinian state.
Kazakhstan’s inclusion, expected to be formalized later this month, is seen as an effort by Washington to revitalize the Abraham Accords and expand U.S. engagement in a strategically vital region.
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