Kazakhstan to defend trade interests in U.S. tariff talks

Kazakhstan will seek to protect its national interests in talks with the United States after receiving notice of new import tariffs due to take effect from 1 August, its trade ministry said on Tuesday.

The U.S. administration informed Kazakhstan on Monday that a flat 25% import tariff would be applied to selected goods from several countries, including Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Trade and Integration said in a statement.

However, the ministry noted that around 95% of Kazakhstan’s exports to the United States would remain unaffected. Exemptions include key raw materials and strategic commodities such as crude oil, uranium, silver, ferroalloys, tantalum and titanium.

Kazakhstan has submitted proposals to the White House aimed at improving trade conditions and securing mutually beneficial agreements on market access and trade terms, the ministry said.

“The U.S. side is currently reviewing Kazakhstan’s proposals and will inform us of the date for negotiations. Kazakhstan is preparing for further discussions to protect national interests and promote a stable economic partnership,” the statement added.

Bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and the United States reached $4.2 billion in 2024, a 4% increase over the previous year. Crude oil accounted for 56.2% of Kazakhstan’s exports to the U.S., followed by uranium (16.4%), silver (12.2%), ferroalloys (9.5%), and tantalum products (0.89%).

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