Kyrgyzstan voices concern over European Union sanctions policy

11:34, 12 февраля 2026, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Aizada KUTUEVA

On February 11, 2026, in Berlin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubaev took part in a ministerial meeting in Central Asia—Germany format. The press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan reported.

The meeting was also attended by the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Participants discussed ways to further strengthen dialogue within the Central Asia—Germany format in the trade and economic, investment, and cultural and humanitarian spheres.

The ministers noted the positive development of relations between the Central Asian states and Germany over the past three decades and confirmed their intention to further deepen the Central Asia—Germany partnership based on shared values and mutual interests, as well as to continue high-level dialogue. They also expressed satisfaction with the intensification of cooperation between Central Asia and the European Union.

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Jeenbek Kulubaev emphasized that Central Asian countries, guided by the principles of good neighborliness, dialogue and mutual respect, have achieved significant progress in ensuring peace, security and stability in the region. This, in turn, creates favorable conditions for expanding trade, attracting investment, and implementing major joint regional projects. In this regard, the Central Asia—Germany dialogue format is becoming an important and in-demand platform.

He highlighted the importance of deepening practical and mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as the green economy, digitalization, transport, energy, education and tourism.

At the same time, the minister expressed serious concern on the part of Kyrgyzstan regarding the European Union’s sanctions policy, noting the potential negative impact of unilateral restrictive measures on the sustainable socio-economic development of Central Asian countries and on the further strengthening of trade, financial and investment cooperation between the region’s states and European partners.

He stressed that the Kyrgyz Republic strictly complies with its international obligations and maintains an open and constructive dialogue with partners in the European Union aimed at jointly preventing risks associated with possible circumvention of sanctions.

In this context, Kulubaev expressed Kyrgyzstan’s readiness for an equal, mutually respectful and trust-based partnership with the European Union and its member states, which, in his view, would make it possible to achieve more mutually beneficial goals compared to unilateral sanctions pressure.

Chronology of sanctions pressure

Amid suspicions of circumvention of sanctions against Russia, companies from several countries, including Kyrgyzstan, have been subjected to EU and U.S. sanctions.

In November 2025, Capital Bank of Central Asia and the cross-border payments platform A7 were sanctioned by Canada.
In October 2025, the European Union added two Kyrgyz banks—Tolubay Bank and Eurasian Savings Bank—to its sanctions lists.
In August 2025, the United Kingdom imposed restrictions on Kyrgyzstan’s Capital Bank, as well as on the cryptocurrency exchanges Grinex (previously sanctioned by the United States) and Meer.
In February 2025, the UK sanctioned Keremet Bank, which had earlier been added to the U.S. sanctions list.
The first sanctions against several private companies from Kyrgyzstan were introduced by the United States and the United Kingdom in June 2024.

Kyrgyzstan has repeatedly stated that sanctions against its banks are unjustified. President Sadyr Japarov, speaking at the UN in 2025, criticized Western countries for imposing sanctions on the republic, describing unfounded restrictions as interference in internal affairs and pressure hindering the development of the country’s still-emerging economy.