A new system of transport routes is taking shape across Eurasia, aimed at expanding connections between China, Central and South Asia, the Gulf states and Europe. Key projects include the trans-Afghan CASA corridor, the Middle Corridor across the Caspian Sea, the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, Iraq’s Development Road and the IMEC economic corridor, the Experts Club information and analytical center reports.
At the end of September 2026, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the UAE agreed to study a railway route linking Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan with access to the ports of Karachi and Gwadar. CASA’s preliminary potential has been estimated at up to 10 million tonnes of freight, although the project remains at the technical and economic assessment stage.
The Middle Corridor is already operating through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Georgia. According to the World Bank, a combination of infrastructure investment and reforms could increase trade volumes along the route by up to four times by 2040 and reduce delivery times by roughly two-thirds compared with 2023. Required investment in core and supporting infrastructure is estimated at more than $55 billion.
The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway is expected to strengthen eastward connectivity, while Iraq’s Development Road is designed to link the Grand Al-Faw port with Türkiye and the European transport network. IMEC, meanwhile, is intended to connect India, the Gulf and Europe through combined maritime and rail links.
For Ukraine, the restructuring of Eurasian logistics offers an opportunity to expand access to Central Asian and Chinese markets through the Black Sea, the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. Ukraine’s 2026 government action plan includes negotiations on integrating Ukrainian ports into the Trans-Caspian route.
“Ukraine should not simply watch this transformation from the sidelines. It should seek the physical and tariff integration of its ports and railways into the new routes,” Experts Club founder Maksym Urakin said.
