File Photo: Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States at the Palace of the Nation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. AP
The central Asian republic has had diplomatic ties with Israel for decades, unlike the four Arab states that normalized relations with Israel under the original accords signed in Trump's first term.
But with Trump seeking to shore up his fragile Gaza ceasefire deal – and to bring Israel back from isolation over its war on the strip – Washington is pushing to build as much support as possible for a broader peace initiative.
The announcement that Kazakhstan will join is expected to come when Trump hosts Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the leaders of the other four central Asian republics at the White House later Thursday, a US official said.
Kazakhstan said Thursday it was "natural and logical" for it to join.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said earlier that a new country would join the accords, sparking initial speculation – later dismissed – that it could be Saudi Arabia.
Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have backed Israel and Saudi Arabia having diplomatic relations. But the Gulf kingdom has conditioned any recognition of Israel on the creation of a Palestinian state – a demand the Israeli government has adamantly rejected.
Kazkahstan will be the first country to join since the original Abraham Accords in 2020, when the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalized ties with Israel.
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