Transport and energy moved to the center of Kazakhstan’s European diplomacy. Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi used meetings on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly to discuss the Middle Corridor, investment and energy cooperation with Cyprus, Georgia and Romania, DKNews.kz reports.
The bilateral talks were held in New York as part of Kazakhstan’s participation in the UN General Assembly and also covered upcoming high-level contacts and coordination within international organizations.
Georgia talks focus on the Middle Corridor
Transport connectivity featured prominently in Tileuberdi’s meeting with Georgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili.
The two sides reaffirmed their intention to strengthen the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Georgia and expand cooperation in political, trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian areas.
Particular attention was given to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor.
The route links China and Central Asia with Europe through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Georgia, making cooperation between Astana and Tbilisi important to its development.
Kazakhstan and Georgia have already been working with Azerbaijan to improve conditions along the corridor. Their cooperation includes efforts to increase capacity, reduce transit times and coordinate infrastructure and logistics across the route.
The latest talks in New York focused on further expanding those capabilities.
Cyprus and Kazakhstan look at energy and investment
With Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Tileuberdi discussed the implementation of agreements previously reached at the highest level.
The agenda included the schedule of upcoming high-level contacts and opportunities to expand trade, economic and investment cooperation.
Energy was identified as one of the areas with potential for deeper interaction.
The ministers also agreed to maintain regular political dialogue, creating a diplomatic framework for following up on agreements between the two countries.
Romania talks add another European transport link
Transport and logistics were also part of Tileuberdi’s talks with Romania’s Acting Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu.
The sides discussed cooperation in:
- energy security;
- investment;
- transport and logistics;
- new areas of mutually beneficial partnership.
Romania has particular relevance to Kazakhstan’s European connectivity because the Black Sea provides a continuation of transport chains running through the Caspian and South Caucasus toward European markets.
Energy adds another established dimension to the relationship. Kazakhstan has long supplied crude oil to Romania, where KazMunayGas International operates refining and retail assets, giving bilateral economic ties a practical foundation beyond diplomatic cooperation.
Three meetings point to a common economic agenda
Although the talks involved three different European partners, their agendas overlapped.
Transport connectivity appeared in the discussions with Georgia and Romania, while energy featured in the meetings with Cyprus and Romania. Investment and trade cooperation also ran through the bilateral agenda.
That combination reflects Kazakhstan’s broader interest in developing multiple connections between Central Asia and European markets rather than treating transport, energy and investment as separate areas.
For the Middle Corridor in particular, the geography makes coordination essential. Kazakhstan provides the Central Asian and Caspian segment, Georgia serves as a key transit country in the South Caucasus, while Black Sea connections can provide access to destinations including Romania.
Kazakhstan seeks coordination beyond bilateral ties
The New York meetings were not limited to economic issues.
Tileuberdi and his counterparts also exchanged views on current international and regional developments and reaffirmed their readiness for close coordination within the United Nations and other multilateral platforms.
The meetings therefore combined immediate bilateral priorities — investment, energy and transport — with a broader diplomatic agenda.
For Kazakhstan, the talks with Georgia and Romania are especially connected by one practical question: how to increase the capacity and efficiency of routes carrying goods from Central Asia across the Caspian and onward to European markets.
We previously examined how Kazakhstan is expanding the Trans-Caspian route as growing China-Europe cargo volumes increase demand for new transport and logistics infrastructure, including projects designed to strengthen the country’s role as a key link between Asian and European markets.
