US Lawmaker Urges End to Cold War-Era Trade Restrictions on Kazakhstan

The United States should establish permanent normal trade relations with Kazakhstan and offer greater economic opportunities rather than pressure the nation to choose between Washington, Moscow, and Beijing, Congressman Jimmy Panetta said during a Hudson Institute discussion.

Panetta emphasized that the US should focus on strengthening economic ties and providing viable partnerships across the region instead of imposing geopolitical dilemmas.

The remarks come as Washington weighs strategies to expand its economic and strategic engagement with Central Asia and reconsider legacy Cold War-era trade restrictions.