Kyrgyzstan, Germany eye expanded ties amid sanctions concerns

Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev met with Germany's Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs on June 1, 2026, in New York. The two officials reaffirmed their commitment to developing bilateral cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Germany, emphasizing mutual respect, equality, and benefit. They agreed to strengthen ties through reciprocal visits and expand collaboration in trade, economics, investment, and cultural spheres.

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The two sides reaffirmed their readiness to further develop Kyrgyzstan, Germany cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit.

Minister Kulubaev voiced concerns about the European Union's sanctions policy, highlighting the potential negative impact on Central Asian countries' socio-economic stability. He stressed Kyrgyzstan's adherence to international obligations while supporting open dialogue with the EU to prevent sanctions evasion. Both sides affirmed their belief in an equal, trust-based partnership as a more effective approach than sanctions.

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Special attention was paid to key issues on the bilateral agenda, particularly the expansion of cooperation in trade, economic, investment, and cultural-humanitarian spheres.

The meeting also included discussions on international and regional issues, with cooperation within organizations like the UN, OSCE, and EU being a key topic. The officials reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and multilateral interaction.

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Minister Kulubaev expressed concern over the European Union’s sanctions policy, highlighting the risks that unilateral restrictions pose to the socio-economic stability of Central Asian countries.

However, the article notes that Kyrgyzstan faces sanctions pressure. The EU and US have targeted Kyrgyz companies, including TengriCoin, Keremet Bank, Capital Bank, Tolubay, and Eurasian Savings Bank, along with cryptocurrency exchanges like Meer and Grinex. Restrictions have also been placed on the export of CNC machine tools and communication equipment to Kyrgyzstan, stemming from suspicions of sanctions evasion related to Russia.

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Kyrgyzstan, while strictly adhering to its international obligations, supports open and constructive dialogue with the EU in order to jointly prevent sanctions evasion.