Story perspectives

Russia signs $16.5 bn nuclear plant deal, warns West.

5/28/2026

Summary

Rosatom Secures Nuclear

$16.5 billion May 2026 deal for Rosatom to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear plant signed by Russia and Kazakhstan.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin warned on May 20 2026 that Western attempts to secure rare-earth supplies in Central Asia threaten Moscow.
Analysts say sanctions and spending since Russia’s February 2022 invasion have limited Moscow’s funding of regional projects.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are courting Western and Chinese investment while avoiding anti-Russian moves, creating a complex bargaining environment.

Summary

China Bans Exports

China banned exports of gallium, germanium and antimony to the United States in December 2024, after supplying 70 percent of U.S. rare-earth imports from 2020-2023.
The United States and the European Union view mineral security in Central Asia as essential for cutting reliance on China’s processing network.
Western officials stress that securing these minerals is critical for clean-energy, AI and defense, prompting Washington and Brussels to prioritize alternative supply routes and investment.

Summary

US-Uzbek Investment

In February 2026, the United States and Uzbekistan signed a Joint Investment Framework with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to fund exploration, extraction, processing and infrastructure.
Kazakhstan supplied about 39 percent of uranium in 2024 and roughly 40 percent in 2025.
Uzbekistan produced 7,000 tons of uranium in 2025 and estimates reserves of about 139,000 tons.
Central Asia’s mining appeal stems from deep geology, Soviet-era legacies and undeveloped deposits.

Summary

EU Unveils Gateway

At the EU-Central Asia summit in Samarkand in April 2025, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a €12 billion Global Gateway package for transport, raw materials, energy and water management.
The EU says the partnership will provide processing capacity, technology transfer and diversification, not new dependency.
EU and Western pledges on Trans-Caspian connectivity and the package’s focus on refined materials, batteries and renewable hydrogen give Central Asian governments leverage to claim strategic benefit.

History

Historical Context

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and republics inherited mineral and water assets and struggled to coordinate use. Uzbekistan consumes about three-fifths of the basin’s while the 1991 Interstate Coordinating Commission for Water Resources failed to allocate Syr Darya and Amu Darya fairly; Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus formed a customs union in July 2010 to integrate markets. These disputes shape nuclear and energy negotiations.

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Rosatom Secures Nuclear

$16.5 billion May 2026 deal for Rosatom to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear plant signed by Russia and Kazakhstan.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin warned on May 20 2026 that Western attempts to secure rare-earth supplies in Central Asia threaten Moscow.
Analysts say sanctions and spending since Russia’s February 2022 invasion have limited Moscow’s funding of regional projects.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are courting Western and Chinese investment while avoiding anti-Russian moves, creating a complex bargaining environment.

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