France and Hungary leaders visit Kazakhstan for key alliances

Kazakh President Tokayev Hosts Leaders of Two Key EU Nations This Week

Macron and Orbán head to Kazakhstan for high-stakes diplomatic talks

Talks will focus on economic cooperation and investment, while Orbán's visit centers on ties with a distinct group of countries.

Kazakhstan remains a favored destination for European heads of state and government. Following reciprocal visits between German and Kazakh officials in June and September, French President Emmanuel Macron and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will travel to Astana this week for meetings with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, as confirmed by Tokayev's press service last week.

During Macron's visit, the two leaders will discuss strengthening trade, economic, investment, and energy cooperation, as well as addressing international and regional issues, according to Kazakh officials. France ranks among the EU's top investors in Central Asia's largest country. Data from Kazakhstan's National Bank for the first quarter of this year shows France in tenth place globally for foreign direct investment—with around $200 million—and fourth among EU nations.

Hungary and the Turkic World

Though Hungary's economic weight is far smaller than France's, Orbán's visit warrants close attention. The Hungarian prime minister often pursues an independent course within the EU, a stance reflected in his foreign policy. When Chinese President Xi Jinping recently hosted leaders in Beijing to mark the anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, Orbán was the only EU head of government in attendance—Italy, under Giorgia Meloni, having since distanced itself. Orbán also maintains strong ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and used his Beijing trip to become the first EU leader this year to meet the Kremlin chief.

Now, Hungary's prime minister heads to Kazakhstan, a Turkic-speaking nation that many Hungarians view as sharing deep historical roots with Central Europe. Under Orbán, Hungary has embraced a narrative tracing its origins to the Asian steppes, claiming descent from Attila the Hun. The linguistic isolation of Hungarian—which bears no relation to the official languages of neighboring countries—reinforces this perception.

Against this backdrop, Hungary holds observer status in the Organization of Turkic States, the only European nation to do so. The group will convene in Astana on Friday for its tenth summit, marking a milestone. Full members include Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, with Turkmenistan and Hungary as observers. Ahead of the summit, Orbán and Tokayev are expected to meet bilaterally to discuss expanding cooperation in trade, economics, investment, culture, and society—mirroring the agenda of Macron's visit.