Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought about key questions that dictate the future of its relations with Kazakhstan. The crux of the matter is that Kazakhstan seeks to assert itself as a regional power of its own. Already Central Asia’s largest economy, Kazakhstan is the key player in an increasingly contested geopolitical battleground; it can either maintain its status as a Russian proxy state or pursue independence in decision-making via closer ties with its neighbor China and or the West. Recent events and evidence have shown that the nation is taking the latter approach and thus solidifying its pivot to Asia.