US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords, a move aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and Muslim-majority nations. The announcement came after Trump said he had spoken with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. “We will soon announce a signing ceremony to make it official, and many more countries are seeking to join this club of STRENGTH,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The Kazakh government said in a statement that the accession was in the final stages of negotiation. “Our anticipated joining of the Abraham Accords represents a natural continuation of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy — grounded in dialogue, mutual respect, and regional stability,” it added. Kazakhstan already maintains full diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, making the move largely symbolic, though US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized on Thursday that it represents “an enhanced relationship beyond just diplomatic relations.” Rubio explained, “It creates a partnership with all other countries in the accord, bringing unique economic development opportunities and cooperative projects across multiple sectors.” Trump met with Tokayev and leaders from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan at the White House, as the US seeks to expand its influence in a region traditionally dominated by Russia and increasingly courted by China. “Some of the countries represented here are going to be joining the Abraham Accords, and announcements will be made shortly,” Trump said. Witkoff returning for announcement US special envoy Steve Witkoff said earlier at a business forum in Florida that he would be returning to Washington for the announcement, without naming the country. Axios first reported that the country would be Kazakhstan. A second source familiar with the matter said the United States hopes that Kazakhstan’s entry will help reinvigorate the Abraham Accords, the expansion of which has been on hold during the Gaza war. Trump has repeatedly said he wants to expand the accords that he brokered during his first term in the White House. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established ties with Israel in 2020 under the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords. Morocco established ties with Israel later the same year. Trump has been upbeat about the prospects that regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia will finally join the accords since a ceasefire went into effect in Gaza last month, but Riyadh has shown no willingness to move ahead without at least a pathway to Palestinian statehood. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to visit the White House on November 18. Other Central Asian countries such as Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, both of which have close ties with Israel, have also been seen as potentially joining the Abraham Accords, which is considered a signature foreign policy achievement of Trump’s first term.
Kazakhstan Set to Join Abraham Accords, Says US President
