he inaugural EU–Central Asia Summit held on April 4 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan marked an important point in interregional cooperation. For the first time, leaders from the European Union and Central Asian nations gathered to chart a long–term partnership focused on connectivity, economic integration, and sustainable development. Central to this agenda was the launch of a €12 billion ($13.2 billion) Global Gateway investment package, with transport infrastructure as a flagship pillar—most notably the development of the Trans–Caspian Transport Corridor (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor.
The TITR, a multimodal transport route connecting China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Türkiye, has become a strategic priority for Brussels. Spanning over 4,250 km of railway lines and 500 km of maritime links across the Caspian, the corridor bypasses both Russia and Belarus, offering an alternative trade artery amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
At the Samarkand Summit, leaders acknowledged major advancements in developing the Middle Corridor. They endorsed the corridor’s potential to establish a modern and efficient East–West trade route capable of transporting goods in 15 days or less—cutting transit times dramatically compared to sea routes. The leaders also noted the mobilization of €10 billion ($10.9 billion) from the Global Gateway Investors Forum held in January 2024, aimed at setting up transport corridors, logistics networks, and sustainable value chains. As a follow up, the EU–Central Asia Economic Forum and a TITR Investors’ Forum are scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan later this year.
Behind this push lies a transformation in regional transport dynamics. The volume of goods moved via the Middle Corridor surged from 800,000 tons in 2021 to 4.5 million tons in 2024—a sevenfold increase in just three years. Looking ahead, Kazakhstan is targeting 10 million tons by 2027 and 15 million tons by 2030. In 2024, Georgian railways saw modest growth at 1% with 10.4 million tons transported, while Türkiye’s railway cargo volume jumped 68% to 2.3 million tons, with maritime cargo reaching 6.3 million tons—a 3% rise year-on-year.
So why is the European Union so deeply invested in the development of a corridor many kilometers away?
A Geopolitical Imperative
The war in Ukraine has fundamentally reshaped European thinking about trade corridors and energy security. The traditional overland routes through Russia have become politically unstable for many European businesses. In this context, the Middle Corridor offers an alternative—one that connects Europe with China and Central Asia while circumventing the Russian heartland.
For Brussels, investing in the Trans–Caspian Corridor is a geopolitical hedge. It reduces dependency on adversarial states, increases strategic autonomy, and anchors the EU more firmly in Central Asia, a region traditionally under the influence of big neighboring countries. The EU officials believe that European capital, standards and infrastructure can help shape the region’s future in a more balanced way.
Yet the enthusiasm is currently tempered by logistical challenges. The Middle Corridor still suffers from bottlenecks, particularly in Caspian Sea shipping capacity and rail interoperability. The rise in freight traffic has strained the Marmaray railway line in Türkiye, a key bottleneck on the European end of the corridor. In response, Ankara plans to launch an additional ferry–train link connecting Bandirma and Tekirdag ports via the Marmara Sea, offering an alternate route and alleviating pressure on the existing infrastructure.
Ultimately expanding capacity and harmonizing customs procedures will require financial investment and institutional coordination. Still, EU leaders believe the long–term benefits far outweigh the challenges. The upcoming Astana International Forum (AIF), scheduled for May 29–30 in Kazakhstan’s capital, is expected to provide a platform for relevant stakeholders to discuss these issues and the development of the Middle Corridor.
A Trade Gateway in the Making
Speed and reliability are critical to modern trade, and the Middle Corridor can deliver on both fronts. Its ability to move goods from China to Europe in about 15 days presents a clear advantage over maritime shipping, which can take 30 to 45 days and often faces delays due to geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea.
In parallel, Central Asia’s growing economic footprint makes it a valuable partner for the EU. Over the past seven years, the trade turnover between Central Asian countries and the EU has quadrupled, amounting to 54 billion euros ($61.33 billion), with energy and raw materials accounting for a large share. Modern infrastructure along the Middle Corridor is essential to managing higher trade volumes and unlocking untapped economic potential in countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Moreover, the EU is striving to secure stable supplies of critical raw materials from Central Asia—including lithium, rare earths, and uranium—for its green and digital transitions. The Middle Corridor can ensure secure overland access to these resources.
The Corridor’s Linchpin
Kazakhstan, the largest landlocked country in the world and a transit hub linking China to Europe, is key to the Middle Corridor. The government has embarked on a major rail expansion, most notably the construction of second tracks on the Dostyk–Mointy section, which will boost rail speeds from 800 km to 1,500 km per day and quintuple cargo capacity. The 836 km project is scheduled for completion this year. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s western ports—Aktau and Kuryk—enable cargo transfer from rail to sea.
In 2022, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye signed roadmaps to eliminate transit bottlenecks and raise the corridor’s throughput to 10 million tons annually by this year.
Kazakhstan’s Transport Minister Marat Karabayev recently announced that the country is expanding its digital and energy role in the corridor. It has begun laying a fiber optic cable under the Caspian Sea to boost digital connectivity—a project that complements similar initiatives by Azerbaijan and Georgia through the Black Sea. In parallel, Kazakhstan is working with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to lay another cable under the Caspian to facilitate renewable energy exports to Europe. With 2.7 GW of renewable generation already online and an additional 8 GW planned, Kazakhstan is working to position itself as a logistics and energy partner for the EU.
For these reasons, EU leaders have made it clear that their interest in the Middle Corridor is not fleeting. In the anticipation of the €12 billion Global Gateway package, the European Investment Bank signed a €200 million ($226.1 million) loan in February with the Development Bank of Kazakhstan to finance sustainable transport infrastructure. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is also involved in funding related initiatives.
To coordinate these efforts, the EU last year created a Trans–Caspian Transport Corridor Coordination Platform to align investment flows and promote the Middle Corridor as a flagship initiative of the EU’s Global Gateway.
Looking forward, the success of the Middle Corridor will depend on sustained political will, financial commitment, and multilateral coordination. If these elements align, the corridor can remain an important alternative trade route on the Eurasian continent.
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Europe’s big bet on the Trans–Caspian Transport Corridor
Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where the inaugural EU–Central Asia Summit was held. Photo by Alessio Roversi on Unsplash
May 22, 2025
The war in Ukraine has changed how the EU thinks about trade corridors and energy security. For Europe, the Trans–Caspian Transport Corridor is a geostrategic hedge meant to reduce EU reliance on adversarial powers while strengthening its relationship with Central Asia, writes Emil Avdaliani.
T
he inaugural EU–Central Asia Summit held on April 4 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan marked an important point in interregional cooperation. For the first time, leaders from the European Union and Central Asian nations gathered to chart a long–term partnership focused on connectivity, economic integration, and sustainable development. Central to this agenda was the launch of a €12 billion ($13.2 billion) Global Gateway investment package, with transport infrastructure as a flagship pillar—most notably the development of the Trans–Caspian Transport Corridor (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor.
The TITR, a multimodal transport route connecting China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Türkiye, has become a strategic priority for Brussels. Spanning over 4,250 km of railway lines and 500 km of maritime links across the Caspian, the corridor bypasses both Russia and Belarus, offering an alternative trade artery amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
At the Samarkand Summit, leaders acknowledged major advancements in developing the Middle Corridor. They endorsed the corridor’s potential to establish a modern and efficient East–West trade route capable of transporting goods in 15 days or less—cutting transit times dramatically compared to sea routes. The leaders also noted the mobilization of €10 billion ($10.9 billion) from the Global Gateway Investors Forum held in January 2024, aimed at setting up transport corridors, logistics networks, and sustainable value chains. As a follow up, the EU–Central Asia Economic Forum and a TITR Investors’ Forum are scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan later this year.
Behind this push lies a transformation in regional transport dynamics. The volume of goods moved via the Middle Corridor surged from 800,000 tons in 2021 to 4.5 million tons in 2024—a sevenfold increase in just three years. Looking ahead, Kazakhstan is targeting 10 million tons by 2027 and 15 million tons by 2030. In 2024, Georgian railways saw modest growth at 1% with 10.4 million tons transported, while Türkiye’s railway cargo volume jumped 68% to 2.3 million tons, with maritime cargo reaching 6.3 million tons—a 3% rise year-on-year.
So why is the European Union so deeply invested in the development of a corridor many kilometers away?
A Geopolitical Imperative
The war in Ukraine has fundamentally reshaped European thinking about trade corridors and energy security. The traditional overland routes through Russia have become politically unstable for many European businesses. In this context, the Middle Corridor offers an alternative—one that connects Europe with China and Central Asia while circumventing the Russian heartland.
For Brussels, investing in the Trans–Caspian Corridor is a geopolitical hedge. It reduces dependency on adversarial states, increases strategic autonomy, and anchors the EU more firmly in Central Asia, a region traditionally under the influence of big neighboring countries. The EU officials believe that European capital, standards and infrastructure can help shape the region’s future in a more balanced way.
Yet the enthusiasm is currently tempered by logistical challenges. The Middle Corridor still suffers from bottlenecks, particularly in Caspian Sea shipping capacity and rail interoperability. The rise in freight traffic has strained the Marmaray railway line in Türkiye, a key bottleneck on the European end of the corridor. In response, Ankara plans to launch an additional ferry–train link connecting Bandirma and Tekirdag ports via the Marmara Sea, offering an alternate route and alleviating pressure on the existing infrastructure.
Ultimately expanding capacity and harmonizing customs procedures will require financial investment and institutional coordination. Still, EU leaders believe the long–term benefits far outweigh the challenges. The upcoming Astana International Forum (AIF), scheduled for May 29–30 in Kazakhstan’s capital, is expected to provide a platform for relevant stakeholders to discuss these issues and the development of the Middle Corridor.
A Trade Gateway in the Making
Speed and reliability are critical to modern trade, and the Middle Corridor can deliver on both fronts. Its ability to move goods from China to Europe in about 15 days presents a clear advantage over maritime shipping, which can take 30 to 45 days and often faces delays due to geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea.
In parallel, Central Asia’s growing economic footprint makes it a valuable partner for the EU. Over the past seven years, the trade turnover between Central Asian countries and the EU has quadrupled, amounting to 54 billion euros ($61.33 billion), with energy and raw materials accounting for a large share. Modern infrastructure along the Middle Corridor is essential to managing higher trade volumes and unlocking untapped economic potential in countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Moreover, the EU is striving to secure stable supplies of critical raw materials from Central Asia—including lithium, rare earths, and uranium—for its green and digital transitions. The Middle Corridor can ensure secure overland access to these resources.
The Corridor’s Linchpin
Kazakhstan, the largest landlocked country in the world and a transit hub linking China to Europe, is key to the Middle Corridor. The government has embarked on a major rail expansion, most notably the construction of second tracks on the Dostyk–Mointy section, which will boost rail speeds from 800 km to 1,500 km per day and quintuple cargo capacity. The 836 km project is scheduled for completion this year. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s western ports—Aktau and Kuryk—enable cargo transfer from rail to sea.
In 2022, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye signed roadmaps to eliminate transit bottlenecks and raise the corridor’s throughput to 10 million tons annually by this year.
Kazakhstan’s Transport Minister Marat Karabayev recently announced that the country is expanding its digital and energy role in the corridor. It has begun laying a fiber optic cable under the Caspian Sea to boost digital connectivity—a project that complements similar initiatives by Azerbaijan and Georgia through the Black Sea. In parallel, Kazakhstan is working with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to lay another cable under the Caspian to facilitate renewable energy exports to Europe. With 2.7 GW of renewable generation already online and an additional 8 GW planned, Kazakhstan is working to position itself as a logistics and energy partner for the EU.
For these reasons, EU leaders have made it clear that their interest in the Middle Corridor is not fleeting. In the anticipation of the €12 billion Global Gateway package, the European Investment Bank signed a €200 million ($226.1 million) loan in February with the Development Bank of Kazakhstan to finance sustainable transport infrastructure. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is also involved in funding related initiatives.
To coordinate these efforts, the EU last year created a Trans–Caspian Transport Corridor Coordination Platform to align investment flows and promote the Middle Corridor as a flagship initiative of the EU’s Global Gateway.
Looking forward, the success of the Middle Corridor will depend on sustained political will, financial commitment, and multilateral coordination. If these elements align, the corridor can remain an important alternative trade route on the Eurasian continent.
