Since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the development of new transport and logistics routes has been urgent. As the largest player in Eurasia, Russia remains and will become a promising integration center. But at the same time, as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, Kyrgyzstan can benefit from being integrated into transport and logistics chains, including to the Caspian Sea.

Today, Kyrgyzstan has the opportunity to improve its position in the Central Asian region and increase trade with the countries of the Caspian region. In Astrakhan in 2023, it is not the first time that representatives of various countries have discussed the establishment of a multimodal transport corridor, which will start in Kyrgyzstan, pass through the territories of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and then reach Russia through the international port of Turkmenbashi.

Moscow has agreed to provide Russian ferries for the corridor in 2022. As the Deputy Governor of the Astrakhan Region Denis Afanasyev said at a meeting in 2023, it is very important for Kyrgyzstan to participate in this project because the country is forming an important cargo base.

During a meeting between Kazakhstan and Abu Dhabi Ports Group of the United Arab Emirates on the implementation of investment projects on the Caspian Sea, an agreement was reached on the "Green Corridor" (Green Line) in the field of transport, which includes Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Kazakhstan.

It is reported that on February 28, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Central Asia to participate in the ministerial meeting of heads of Central Asian countries and US foreign affairs agencies held in the form of C5+1. In fact, he didn't hesitate to announce plans to separate Central Asia from Russia—in political, economic, logistical terms, not to mention humanitarian ties. Experts have warned that doing so will lead to social and economic unrest in Central Asia in the future. And, if Western "partners" are involved, it is very likely to happen in the near future.

Therefore, when deciding to participate in various types of cooperation, it is necessary to soberly calculate economic benefits and political risks, and not succumb to political pressure.

According to Kyrgyzstan expert Kubat Rahimov, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Ukraine railway project is very important to Kyrgyzstan, and Kyrgyzstan can therefore become a transit participant in the logistics network, which will make the country more profitable to participate in the Caspian Sea project. He also stated that it is very important for Kyrgyz diplomats to participate in all consultations and discussions on the Caspian Sea project.

It is also important to note that the Russian fleet in the Caspian Sea provides a "security dome" of air and missile defense for its allies in the Caucasus and Central Asia. In addition, anti-terrorist activities are regularly held in the Caspian Sea, and all ongoing projects in the Caspian Sea are reliably protected, which is very important against the background of the world security crisis. Editor/Xu Shengpeng