Blog
Crossroads Asia

Kazakhstan Bans Veils in an Effort to Heighten Security
By Albert Otkjær
As the last country in Central Asia to do so, Kazakhstan has outlawed face coverings to increase public safety, a move that might put religious groups under pressure.

How Tajikistan’s Banks Help Russian Citizens Bypass SWIFT Ban
By Kulobiddin Norov
A new investigation and proliferating online ads reveal how Russian citizens send money to European bank accounts despite Western sanctions.

New Trump Tariffs Target Kazakhstan With 25% Rate
By Catherine Putz
A letter to the Kazakh president stated, "Starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge Kazakhstan a Tariff of only 25% on any and all Kazakh products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.”

Mongolia’s WWII Legacy: Asset or Liability in 2025?
By Sumiya Chuluunbaatar
The stories of Mongolia's WWII heroes are deeply ingrained in the nation’s cultural fabric. But in an age of great power competition, remembrance is increasingly seen as a geopolitical signal.

The US Aimed at Iran But Might Have Hit Central Asia
By James Durso
Is Washington ready to subordinate its talk about advancing sovereignty and economic prosperity in Central Asia in favor of trying to isolate and impoverish Iran?

A Region of Opportunity? US Policy and the Future of Central Asia
By Akilbek Tilavoldiev
Central Asia has rarely occupied a prominent place on the U.S. foreign policy agenda, but the region’s dynamism shouldn’t be ignored by Washington.

Russian Authorities Consider Additional Fees for Visiting Foreigners, Migrant Workers
By Catherine Putz
At present, a number of fees are already required for a variety of migration-related documents and processes. But Moscow might expand the list.

CSTO Foreign Ministers Meet in Kyrgyzstan
By Catherine Putz
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan was absent, as Yerevan continues to weigh formally leaving the organization after having frozen its participation in 2024.

How Russia Used Kyrgyzstan to Reopen Its Financial Escape Routes
By Brett Erickson
Sanctions enforcement continues to rely on static lists of named entities and accounts when evasion networks are built to morph and reroute at every point of friction.

Propaganda, Pay, and Prison: The Kazakhs Fighting in Ukraine
By Albert Otkjær
While many Central Asian migrants have been coerced or pressured into fighting for Russia in Ukraine, a number of Kazakh citizens have taken up arms voluntarily.

Mongolia’s Strategic Turn Toward Central Asia
By Altankhishig Gagaa
Since 2023, Mongolia has been actively deepening its political relations with Central Asian countries – not just as a strategic pivot, but also as a form of cultural and historical reconnection.

Russia’s Expanding Relations with Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan
By Islomkhon Gafarov
Russia is increasingly approaching Afghanistan as yet another Central Asian state – including gradually opening access to its labor migration system.
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