U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords, marking a new step in the normalization of relations between Israel and Muslim-majority nations.
The announcement followed a phone call between Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
“We will soon announce a Signing Ceremony to make it official, and there are many more countries trying to join this club of STRENGTH,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Kazakhstan’s government confirmed the development, saying the decision was in its final stages. “Our anticipated accession to the Abraham Accords represents a natural and logical continuation of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy course, grounded in dialogue, mutual respect, and regional stability,” it said in a statement.
Although Kazakhstan already maintains full diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, Washington officials said the move represents a deeper level of engagement.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the accord “enhances cooperation beyond diplomatic relations,” adding that members of the pact gain “unique economic development opportunities” and greater regional integration.
The announcement came as Trump hosted President Tokayev and four other Central Asian leaders, from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, at the White House.
The meeting was part of Washington’s broader effort to strengthen ties in a region traditionally influenced by Russia and increasingly courted by China.
“Some of the countries represented here are going to be joining the Abraham Accords,” Trump told reporters, suggesting further expansion announcements in the coming weeks.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who had hinted at a forthcoming Abraham Accords announcement earlier this week, said he would return to Washington for the formal signing. Axios first reported that Kazakhstan would be the next country to join.
A U.S. official familiar with the talks said Washington hopes Kazakhstan’s entry will help “reinvigorate” the accords, which have stalled amid the Gaza conflict.
The Abraham Accords, widely regarded as one of Trump’s key foreign policy achievements, were first signed in 2020, establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Morocco later joined the agreement the same year.
Trump has expressed optimism that Saudi Arabia, the most influential Arab nation, will eventually join the accords. However, Riyadh has so far maintained that progress toward normalization depends on concrete steps toward Palestinian statehood.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to visit the White House on November 18.
Other Muslim-majority countries with close ties to Israel, including Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, have also been mentioned as potential future participants in the expanding regional alliance.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
