Kazakh President Urges Trade Compromise After US Imposes 25% Tariffs

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to impose a 25% reciprocal tariff on Kazakh exports starting August 1, emphasizing Kazakhstan's commitment to fair, predictable, and mutually beneficial trade relations with the United States. Tokayev expressed readiness for a constructive dialogue aimed at reaching a compromise and resolving trade issues rationally. While the tariffs affect many goods, key Kazakh exports like crude oil, uranium, silver, ferroalloys, tantalum, and titanium are exempted, allowing most of Kazakhstan’s major exports to continue without additional duties. Trump justified the tariffs by citing barriers to American goods entering the Kazakh market and warned against retaliatory measures, promising proportional tariff increases if Kazakhstan retaliates. In 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $4.2 billion, with crude oil as the top export. Kazakhstan has also submitted proposals to improve mutual trade terms to ensure predictability and stability amid rising global trade tensions.