WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Kazakhstan is set to join the Abraham Accords, a landmark framework that normalizes relations between Isr@el and Muslim-majority nations.
Trump said the move follows a phone call he held with Isr@eli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, adding that a formal signing ceremony will be announced soon.
“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 Truth Social.
According to the Kazakh government, the country’s accession to the accords is in its final stage of negotiations.
“Our anticipated accession to the Abraham Accords represents a natural and logical continuation of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy — grounded in dialogue, mutual respect, and regional stability,” the statement said.
Although Kazakhstan already maintains full diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, officials in Washington argue the move would formalize and expand cooperation under a broader multilateral framework.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that joining the accords offers benefits beyond existing bilateral ties.
“It’s an enhanced relationship beyond just diplomatic relations,” Rubio said. “You’re now creating a partnership that brings unique opportunities for economic development and collaboration among all member countries.”
Trump made the remarks after meeting President Tokayev and leaders from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan at the White House, as Washington seeks greater influence in a region historically dominated by Russia and increasingly courted by China.
“Some of the countries represented here are going to be joining the Abraham Accords… those announcements will be made over the next little while,” Trump said.
Earlier, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff hinted at an upcoming announcement during a business forum in Florida, saying he would return to Washington for the event. The news was first reported by Axios, which cited sources identifying Kazakhstan as the next country to join.
A senior US official familiar with the matter said Washington hopes Kazakhstan’s entry will revitalize the Abraham Accords, the expansion of which has slowed during the Gaza war.
Trump, who brokered the original accords during his first term, has vowed to expand the agreement if re-elected. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were the first to establish ties with Israel under the framework in 2020, followed by Morocco later that year.
Trump has also expressed optimism about Saudi Arabia potentially joining the accords, particularly after the recent Gaza ceasefire, though Riyadh has maintained it will not proceed without a credible pathway to Palestinian statehood.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to visit the White House on November 18 for further discussions.
Other Central Asian states — including Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan — are also seen as potential candidates for future inclusion in the accords, which Trump has repeatedly described as one of the signature foreign policy achievements of his first term.
