Kyrgyzstan concerned about EU sanctions

Kyrgyzstan is seriously concerned about the European Union’s sanctions policy. Unilateral restrictive measures could negatively affect the stable socio-economic development of Central Asian countries and hinder efforts to strengthen trade, financial, and investment cooperation between regional states and European partners. This was stated by Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev at the Central Asia–Germany foreign ministers’ meeting held in Berlin on February 11.

According to the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry, the country strictly complies with its international obligations and is engaged in open and constructive dialogue with EU partners to prevent risks related to circumventing sanctions.

“In this context, he reaffirmed Kyrgyzstan’s readiness for cooperation with the European Union and its member states based on equality, mutual respect, and trust, which can achieve more mutually beneficial goals than pressure from unilateral sanctions,” the ministry said.

The event was attended by the foreign policy chiefs of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Germany. Participants discussed strengthening dialogue in the Central Asia–Germany format in trade, economic, investment, and cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Sanctions pressure timeline

Due to suspicions of helping circumvent sanctions against Russia, companies from other countries, including Kyrgyzstan, have increasingly come under EU and US sanctions.

In November 2025, Kapital Bank Central Asia and the A7 cross-border settlement platform were placed under Canadian sanctions.

In October 2025, the European Union added two Kyrgyz banks, Toluboy and Eurasian Savings Bank, to its sanctions list.

In August 2025, Kyrgyzstan’s Kapital Bank Central Asia and cryptocurrency exchanges Grinex (previously sanctioned by the US) and Meer were placed under UK restrictions.

In February 2025, Keremet Bank, which had earlier been included on the US sanctions list, was placed under UK restrictions.

The first sanctions against several Kyrgyz private companies were introduced by the US and the UK in June 2024.

Kyrgyzstan has repeatedly stressed that sanctions against its banks are unfounded. In 2025, President Sadyr Japarov criticized Western sanctions against the republic from the UN podium, calling them interference in the country’s internal affairs and pressure that hinders the development of its emerging economy.