Kazakhstan Summons Belarusian Ambassador Over Lukashenko’s Remarks

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Belarusian Ambassador Pavel Utyupin following recent comments made by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.  

In a recent interview with the Rossiya TV channel, Lukashenko criticized the foreign policy of several post-Soviet republics, including Kazakhstan, sparking diplomatic tensions. 

On Wednesday, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met Ambassador Utyupin to discuss the issue, urging Belarus to take a more objective view of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that Kazakhstan follows a balanced and peaceful foreign policy based on the United Nations Charter and international law. 

“Kazakhstan believes that all disputes between nations should be resolved through political and diplomatic means,” the Ministry stated, reflecting Kazakhstan’s commitment to maintaining stability in the region. Nurtleu added that in the current geopolitical climate, Kazakhstan's foreign policy under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proven effective. 

The controversy arose after Lukashenko referenced the violent unrest in Kazakhstan in January 2022. He pointed out that during the crisis, Kazakhstan turned to Moscow and Minsk for help, leading to the rapid deployment of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeepers to the country. 

The CSTO operates under a similar premise to that of NATO: an attack on one member state is considered an attack on all others, and each state is obliged to support other members. 

These remarks have raised concerns in Kazakhstan. Political analyst Gaziz Abishev told the “Nastoyashcheye Vremya” television channel that the tensions could affect President Tokayev’s planned visit to Belarus later this year. Abishev suggested that Lukashenko’s comments were part of a broader strategy to gain favor with Russia. 

“Lukashenko is under pressure from Russia to deepen the union state, so he’s trying to show Moscow that Belarus is more committed to supporting Russia than other countries,” Abishev explained. “He is using this comparison with Kazakhstan to elevate his own position and reduce Belarus’ international isolation.” 

Abishev noted that Lukashenko likely views Kazakhstan’s more independent stance as a missed opportunity to ease Belarus’ isolation by drawing Kazakhstan into closer alignment with Minsk and Moscow.