The Russia–Ukraine War and its Implications for Central Asia: Resilience, Connectivity, and Decolonization embarks on a comprehensive exploration of the profound impacts of the Ukraine conflict on Central Asia, viewed through the prism of the region's scholars.

This book assesses the geopolitical transformation, economic shifts, and the evolving narratives of national and regional identities, underpinned by thirty years of nation-building and current socio-economic realities. This collection critically navigates between the dual forces of emerging expectations for change, decolonization, and the strong undercurrents of path dependence and local socio-economic constraints.

Furthermore, it provides a nuanced examination of the intricate relationships between state, society, and media, illustrating how these dynamics are reshaped in the face of the war’s ongoing impact. Through a balanced perspective, this volume unveils an emerging vision of Central Asia, marked by resilience and a strategic quest for a more pronounced role in global affairs.

This work stands as a crucial resource for understanding the multifaceted consequences of the Ukraine-Russia War on Central Asia, enriched by authentic, regional voices.

Speakers:

Dr. Assylzat Karabayeva is an Assistant Professor at KIMEP University and holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the International University of Japan. She was a visiting research scholar at George Washington University (2022–2023) and Uppsala University (2024). Her research focuses on Central Asian regionalism, WTO policies, the foreign policies of Central Asian states, and socio-political transformations in Eurasia. She has professional experience at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy, where she contributed to negotiations with international organizations such as the WTO, UNCTAD, and ASEAN.

Her publications include works in the Asian Journal of Comparative Politics, the Elgar Encyclopedia of International Economic Law, and Springer’s Contributions to Political Science book series, as well as an edited volume, The Russia–Ukraine War and Its Implications for Central Asia: Resilience, Connectivity, and Decolonization (Lexington Books, 2024).

Dr. Ikboljon Qoraboyev is a Professor of International Relations at the International School of Economics at Maqsut Narikbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan, and an Associate Research Fellow at the United Nations University Institute for Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS). With a Ph.D. in Public International Law from the University of Toulouse, France, Dr. Qoraboyev’s expertise spans comparative regionalism, international relations, and public international law, with a particular focus on Eurasia and Central Asia. He held visiting positions at leading academic institutions in the past, including iCourts (Denmark), Pluricourts (Norway), Airlangga University (Indonesia), and UNU-CRIS (Belgium).

Dr. Qoraboyev is the author of over 20 publications in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes by global publishers such as Cambridge University Press, Edward Elgar, Routledge, and Palgrave Macmillan. His research addresses themes like regionalism in Central Asia, the Belt and Road Initiative, higher education’s impact on development, and transnational judicial dialogue. Notable works include co-editing The Russia–Ukraine War and Its Implications on Central Asia (Lexington Books, 2024) and contributing chapters to volumes such as EU Governance in Central Asia (Routledge, 2025).