The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic regrets the news of the inclusion of the country’s legal entities in the 20th package of European Union sanctions against the Russian Federation, including the application of the so-called anti-circumvention mechanism against the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic stated.
The Kyrgyz side consistently adheres to an open, responsible, and constructive approach in dialogue with the European Union on issues of jointly preventing risks associated with sanctions restrictions, and proceeds from the need for mutual consideration of interests, transparency, and trust, the statement emphasizes.
«In this regard, it is seriously perplexing that, despite ongoing negotiations, regular exchange of visits with European partners, as well as the timely provision of all requested documented information in accordance with the requirements of the European Commission, including information on measures taken by the state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic, the position of the Kyrgyz side continues to be ignored and, in fact, remains unaccounted for.
Of particular concern is the fact that such unilateral decisions not only undermine the atmosphere of trust that has formed within the framework of bilateral interaction, but also clearly contradict the repeatedly stated intentions of the European Union to develop comprehensive cooperation with the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as with the countries of Central Asia as a whole, to promote the sustainable development of the region and strengthen partnership,» the text notes.
The Kyrgyz Republic reaffirms its unwavering commitment to international law and the principles of good-faith international cooperation, and acts strictly within the framework of its national legislation and its international obligations. In this regard, the Kyrgyz side expresses concern about the practice of applying unilateral restrictive measures against third countries.
In turn, the Kyrgyz Republic advocates for a transparent, professional, and depoliticized dialogue and calls on the European Union to demonstrate a consistent, balanced, and truly constructive approach, to ensure that the position of the Kyrgyz side is duly taken into account, and to move towards the practical implementation of the agreements reached during the negotiations between the delegations of the Kyrgyz Republic and the European Union.
As a reminder, due to suspicions of circumventing restrictions against Russia, companies from other countries, including Kyrgyzstan, have also come under EU and US sanctions.
- Last November, Capital Bank of Central Asia and the A7 cross-border settlement platform were placed under Canadian sanctions.
- In October 2025, the European Union added two Kyrgyz banks — Tolubai and Eurasian Savings Bank — to such lists.
- In August last year, the UK placed Kyrgyzstan’s Capital Bank and the cryptocurrency exchanges Grinex (previously the US) and Meer under sanctions.
- In February 2025, Keremet Bank, previously included on the US list, was placed under UK sanctions.
- The first restrictions against several private companies from the Kyrgyz Republic were imposed in June 2024 by the United States and the United Kingdom.
With the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, the EU banned the import of goods into the Kyrgyz Republic in the new Regulation 2026/508. These include metal processing centers (CN code 8457 10) and equipment for receiving, converting, and transmitting voice, images, and other data, including switching and routing equipment (CN code 8517 62).
Kyrgyzstan has previously repeatedly stated that sanctions against banks are unjustified. President Sadyr Japarov, speaking at the UN in 2025, criticized the West for sanctions against the republic. He described the unjustified sanctions as interference in the country’s internal affairs and pressure that hinders the development of a still-emerging economy.
