Kazakhstan has announced its intention to join the Abraham Accords—a diplomatic initiative launched in 2020 that saw several Arab countries normalize relations with Israel. Unlike the original signatories, Kazakhstan already maintains diplomatic ties with Israel, making its move largely symbolic. The Central Asian republic described its decision as “natural and logical.”

In a statement, the Kazakh government said:

> “Our expected accession to the Abraham Accords represents a natural and logical continuation of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy path, which is based on dialogue, mutual respect, and regional stability.”

A U.S. official earlier confirmed information reported by Axios that Kazakhstan is seeking to deepen its relationship with Israel.

Kazakhstan, along with other Central Asian nations, participated in a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has made the Abraham Accords a diplomatic priority.

Trump stated:

> “We have many people joining the Abraham Accords now, and we hope to gain Saudi Arabia’s approval very soon.”

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said earlier in the day that a new country would be joining the Abraham Accords, with the announcement expected Thursday night.

He is also exerting pressure on Syria, planning to meet its president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, on Monday to encourage Syria’s participation in the diplomatic initiative.

Kazakhstan’s president is one of five Central Asian leaders scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Thursday.

The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, led to the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.

However, several countries have refused to join the accords, notably Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Lebanon.

Saudi Arabia had been in talks with the United States about normalizing relations with Israel but withdrew from the process following the outbreak of war in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023.

Saudi Arabia has emphasized that it cannot normalize relations without progress toward establishing an independent Palestinian state—a prospect long opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.