Expert Tukumov: ” A Russian invasion of Kazakhstan is not expected ”

“It is not in the plans and there is no reason for a Russian invasion of Kazakhstan.” This was stated in an interview with Adnkronos Yerkin Tukumov, director of the Kazakh Institute for Strategic Studies, one of the most important think tanks in Central Asia, commenting on the claims of some Russian politicians on the territories of northern Kazakhstan, inhabited mainly by Russians . “Certainly there are many ethnic Russians in our northern region, but they are citizens of Kazakhstan”, underlines the expert, according to whom there is no basis for “comparing the situation” in Donbass to that in northern Kazakhstan. “It is true we have a common border, many ethnic Russian people live in Kazakhstan, many ethnic Kazakh people live in Russia” and Russia has an “influence” in our country, but “we do not have a NATO agenda and not even association agreements with the EU “. For this reason “I do not think that the invasion is a plausible scenario for our country”. Highlighting that the “diplomatic solution is the only way to resolve the Ukrainian crisis”, Tukumov clarified the neutral approach of Nur Sultan’s government regarding the conflict. “I would not speak of neutrality as much as of national interest. We are members of the Eurasian Economic Union, of the Organization of the Collective Security Treaty, we have 20 billion of interchange (with Russia, ed), Kazakhstan citizens live in Russia and Russians live in Kazakhstan – he explains – On the other hand we have excellent relations with the EU and the United States, we are moving towards democracy and economic diversification. So we act according to our national interest ”.