Kazakhstan is joining the Abraham Accords, President Donald Trump said, a largely symbolic move as the US looks to inject new momentum into the initiative following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is in Washington for a meeting between Central Asian leaders and Trump.
The move is mostly symbolic since Kazakhstan has had diplomatic relations with Israel for many years.
Trump, following a call he hosted with Tokayev and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hailed Kazakhstan's decision as a “major step forward in building bridges across the World.”
“Today, more Nations are lining up to embrace Peace and Prosperity through my Abraham Accords. 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 said in a social media post.
Trump and senior US officials defended the announcement later Friday, with the US president saying that he expected additional countries to sign up in the near future. Axios previously reported the plan for Kazakhstan to join.
“When a few of these countries come in, that's a great expansion,” Trump said. “And these are very substantial countries, so we consider that a great honor.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the deal an “enhanced relationship.”
“You're now creating a partnership that brings special and unique economic development on all sorts of issues,” he said.
The Abraham Accords, a signature diplomatic achievement from Trump's first term, saw Israel normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
Trump sought to add Saudi Arabia and other countries to the pact, as did former President Joe Biden, but those plans were derailed by the fallout from the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the Israeli military's campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The initiative has languished since then.
Kazakhstan's move now “gives a great momentum to the Abraham Accords,” Vice President JD Vance said.
Trump mused about expanding the alliance at the same Miami event on Wednesday, saying “hopefully we're going to get Saudi Arabia very soon.” Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is set to visit Washington later this month.
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