Consequences of the Sanctions Policy for Russian-Kazakh Relations within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (2014 – Present)

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines the transformation of the role of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) as an integration mechanism under the conditions of sanction pressure on Russia since 2014. The analysis of legal frameworks, strategic documents, and official CSTO statements, specifically, during Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in 2024, enables us to identify the adaptive mechanisms of coordination among member states within a complex geo-economic environment. The findings confirm the limitations of the current model of collective security and emphasize the necessity of its modernization to enhance the resilience of integration processes. Objective. To identify the institutional parameters of the CSTO’s adaptation to external destabilizing factors and assess the transformation of Russian-Kazakh cooperation under the sanction’s regime. Specific Goals. To analyze the evolution of CSTO’s normative framework from 2014 to the present, to evaluate the institutional coordination practices among member states under external pressure, to study the nature and outcomes of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in the CSTO in 2024, to identify institutional and substantive trends in bilateral interaction between Russia and Kazakhstan, to formulate conclusions regarding the CSTO’s resilience as a protective mechanism within Eurasian integration. Methodology. The study employs content analysis of CSTO’s legal and strategic documents, the structural-functional analysis of collective security mechanisms, the comparative analysis of integration behavior models, and case study of Russia-Kazakhstan cooperation within the CSTO. A deductive modeling approach is applied based on empirical institutional data. Results. The CSTO has demonstrated relative institutional flexibility under sanctions-related pressure; however, its coordination capacity remains constrained by political and economic asymmetries among its members. Kazakhstan’s 2024 chairmanship was largely stabilization-oriented, without signs of deepening integration. A shift from declarative-normative integration to pragmatic formats of cooperation is observed. Conclusions. While the CSTO retains its formal features as an integration institution, under sanctions it operates primarily as a deterrent rather than a strategic projection mechanism. Russian-Kazakh relations within the CSTO reflect an adaptive model, where allied obligations are maintained amid the efforts to preserve national strategic autonomy. Ensuring integration resilience requires a functional redefinition of the collective security architecture.