Kazakhstan announced Thursday it will join the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic initiative originally led by President Donald Trump during his first term. This move serves as a symbolic boost to the initiative.
Kazakhstan has maintained diplomatic ties with Israel since 1992, shortly after gaining independence following the Soviet Union's collapse. Unlike other Abraham Accord members, Kazakhstan is geographically distant from Israel.
These countries normalized relations with Israel as part of their participation in the accords, a step Kazakhstan took independently years ago.
The move was first confirmed to The Associated Press by three U.S. officials who insisted on anonymity to describe plans that were not yet public.
FILE - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Author’s summary: Kazakhstan's symbolic entry into the Abraham Accords highlights its longstanding ties with Israel and offers renewed attention to President Trump’s Middle East diplomacy initiative.