Many people in the West worry that demographic change, fueled by mass migration both legal and illegal, will soon have deteriorated to a point where there will be no stopping or reversing the process. But things can change both ways in a country’s demographic trajectory. And they do so with surprising frequency. Thus a counter-example:... Read More

The Astana Club is now firmly established as an indispensable annual East-West gathering in the Heartland. This year’s forum, taking place at minus 32 degrees Celsius in the Kazakh capital, could not have been scheduled at a more incandescent geopolitical inflexion point. Several round tables set to examine the full spectrum of the “megacycle of... Read More

It was a day 32 years in the making, but the American president finally met the assembled leaders of the five Central Asian republics on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly. According to the White House, President Biden welcomed discussion on strengthening the republics’ “sovereignty, resilience, and prosperity� while... Read More

One year after the astounding US humiliation in Kabul – and on the verge of another serious comeuppance in Donbass – there is reason to believe Moscow is wary of Washington seeking vengeance: in the form of the ‘Afghanization’ of Ukraine. With no end in sight to western weapons and finance flowing into Kiev, it... Read More

Russia-bashing is a bi-partisan activity in Washington. Both parties think it makes them look “tough� and “pro-America.� But while Republican and Democrat politicians continue to one-up each other on “risk-free� threats to Russia, they are increasingly risking a devastating nuclear war. It’s all fun and games until the missiles start flying. And in this case... Read More

Hey – won’t you look at that? Turns out, the Anglin Method for dealing with a State Department color revolution works: Turn off the internet completely Shoot anyone who violates curfew Boom. Problem solved. RT: The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan was a success, and the multinational deployment will begin a... Read More

Breaking news coming through: Vaccines are safe and effective and offer complete protection from the Omicron virus. Trans women are women. The behavior of black people is the result of white racism. A woman can do anything a man can do – better. The US has no involvement in the color revolution in Kazakhstan. Stay... Read More

Just as the Kremlin had steeled itself to face down the West over Ukraine, Washington initiated the destabilization of Kazakhstan on Russia’s central Asian border. At this time it is unclear how serious the situation is, but the Collective Security Treaty Organization consisting of Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, and Kazakhstan have sent troops in... Read More

The no holds barred US-China strategic competition may be leading us to the complete fragmentation of the current “world-system� – as Wallerstein defined it. Yet compared to the South China Sea, the Korean peninsula, the Taiwan Straits, India-China’s Himalayan border, and selected latitudes of the Greater Middle East, Central Asia shines as a portrait of... Read More

We are cruising on a pristine, 380 km-long four-lane superhighway from Almaty to Khorgos – finished in 2016 for $1.25 billion, 85% of the cost covered by a World Bank loan. And then, suddenly, riding parallel to us, there’s the real superstar of New Silk Road connectivity. Meet Yuxinou, the container cargo train plying back... Read More

The Astana Club is one of the most crucial annual meetings in Eurasia, alongside the Boao forum in China and the Valdai discussions in Russia. China, Russia and Kazakhstan are all at the forefront of Eurasia integration. No wonder, then, that the 5th meeting of the Astana Club had to focus on Greater Eurasia –... Read More

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN – “We need a new name,� a senior official in Kazakhstan told me. “People keep confusing us with all the other crazy “stans.� We are not like them. Quite right. Compared to neighboring Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan is an island of tranquility and quiet development. Kazakhstan is the world’s 9th... Read More