What is Germany looking for in the region considered Russia's 'backyard'?

Olaf Scholz is stepping up his outreach to Central Asia, seeking economic cooperation and geopolitical coordination as he becomes the first German chancellor to visit the region in decades.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the heads of state of five Central Asian countries at the C5+1 Summit in September 2023 in Berlin. (Source: Akorda)

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is scheduled to land in Uzbekistan today, September 15, and then travel to Kazakhstan a day later. He will become the first German chancellor to visit Uzbekistan in 22 years and Kazakhstan in 14 years.

During his three-day trip (September 15-17), Mr. Olaf Scholz will participate in the C5+1 Summit with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. This is the second time the two sides have met under this format, after it was introduced last year in Berlin.

The renewed interest in the region fits with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s preference for closer ties with smaller countries, partly because Germany’s overreliance on major powers such as the US, China and Russia has caused problems. The German leader himself has repeatedly stated that he is preparing for a world that “will become multipolar.”

Talks in Kazakhstan are likely to focus on oil and gas supplies to Germany, as well as sanctions against Russia over its military campaign in Ukraine.

In fact, Central Asian countries have become a new focus of Mr. Olaf Scholz's diplomacy, alongside more notable emerging economies such as Brazil, India and several African countries.

According to a German government source, in September 2023, Central Asia became the first region where Berlin entered into a regional partnership focusing on the economy, energy, climate and environment.

Berlin is particularly interested in the energy and economic sectors. For Kazakhstan, “this means an opportunity to replace Russian oil. Of course, it is obvious that gas reserves in the region will also be resolved,” the source said.

As for Uzbekistan, the country has “developed positively economically”. Berlin plans to sign a migration agreement with Tashkent, aimed at recruiting highly skilled workers to Germany.

Another important area is geopolitics. The five Central Asian countries, which are geographically and historically close to Russia, have so far refused to publicly take sides in the military campaign in Ukraine.

For Germany, however, experience in dealing with Russia is crucial, as the careers of many leaders currently holding key positions in former Soviet republics are linked to Moscow.

“It is very interesting for the prime minister to hear from his counterparts in secret conversations how they assess the situation and how they assess developments in Russia,” the source said.

Sanctions will be dealt with “appropriately,” but the aim will not be “empty talk” from leaders, the source added.

In the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is facing growing domestic opposition to his government's support for Kiev, including financial and arms supplies. Some members of the ruling Social Democratic Party have even called on him to focus more on a "diplomatic solution" with Russia.

More than 30 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow still maintains a strong influence in Central Asia, especially in the security, economic and energy sectors. It is also a clever move for Germany to seek more strategic and geopolitical interests in the region that Russia considers its “buffer zone”.

Moreover, maintaining positive momentum with the Central Asian countries is not only in the interests of Germany but also of the European Union (EU). Otherwise, Germany and the EU risk losing their geopolitical and geo-economic influence, and miss out on the opportunity to leverage a new multipolar world order to enhance international cooperation.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/duc-tim-kiem-gi-o-khu-vuc-duoc-xem-la-san-sau-cua-nga-286396.html