2023-10-07 20:00:09
Isolated by the war in Ukraine, Russia continues to move closer to its Central Asian neighbors. New illustration this Saturday, October 7 with this ceremony bringing together the Russian, Kazakh and Uzbek heads of state to celebrate the shipment of Russian gas to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan.
Published on: 07/10/2023 – 20:00
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« Permission granted“. Surrounded by his Uzbek counterparts Chavkat Mirzioïev and Kazakh Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, with whom he is holding hands, Vladimir Putin himself gives the kick-off from his residence near Moscow: the pipes are open and Russian gas is flowing. flows towards a new destination: Central Asia.
« Our gas will arrive in Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan to which part of the fuel will also be delivered», Declares the Russian president. “This is the first time that gas produced in Russia will be transported to Central Asia. This will help ensure the energy security of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and therefore the entire region. »
« We are open to further cooperation», Underlined Vladimir Putin. These are “important, significant in the energy field in general, not only in what is linked to the delivery of gas“, he assured.
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Moscow’s persistent influence in the former Soviet sphere
With this agreement, Vladimir Putin also finds new outlets for his significant gas reserves. Since Ukraine’s invasion in February 2022, its gas exports have fallen by more than 25%, according to official figures. The European Union, formerly the largest customer of Russian gas, having notably drastically reduced its imports over the past year.
It also allows him to showcase the persistent influence of Moscow in the former Soviet sphere. Such an agreement may come as a surprise when we know that Uzbekistan is itself one of the largest producers of natural gas in the world.
Tashkent and Astana have sought in recent months to distance themselves from Moscow and diversify their economic partners. But there are some offers that clearly cannot be refused.
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