ASTANA (Reuters) - Germany is interested in expanding trade with Kazakhstan while also ensuring such trade is not used to circumvent EU sanctions on Russia, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on a visit to the Central Asian nation.
Both Scholz and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said their countries were interested in growing trade in oil, rare earths, lithium and other raw materials.
The two met ahead of a broader meeting between Scholz and all five Central Asian leaders, a fresh example of more active Western diplomacy in what has traditionally been Russia's backyard.
Kazakhstan has already stepped in to replace Russia as the supplier of crude for Germany's Schwedt refinery and Scholz's visit comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to curb sales of metals such as titanium to "unfriendly" nations.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
