Information Under Pressure: Research on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

On 13 April 2026, the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) unveiled the findings of the study “Information Under Pressure: Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan”, under the Cultivating Audience Resilience through Amplification of Vibrant and Authentic Narratives (CARAVAN) project, funded by EU and implemented by Internews Europe.

The study utilised a mixed-methods approach, combining AI-assisted analysis of 3,008 narrative instances, identified from over 580,000 collected posts with qualitative insights from fourteen expert interviews and structured roundtable discussions with media professionals across Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Monitoring was conducted between October 2025 and February 2026, tracking 32 distinct narratives across platforms including Telegram, YouTube, and Facebook. The findings identify Russia as the primary external information actor in the region, with its messaging largely focused on delegitimising Western institutions and depicting the West as a power in terminal decline. 

The report highlights structurally different FIMI environments, noting that Kazakhstan faces interference specifically calibrated to domestic political vulnerabilities, whereas Uzbekistan encounters more transnational narratives regarding global geopolitical competition. Despite producing a lower volume of narrative instances, Uzbekistan saw 26 percent more total views than Kazakhstan, reaching 17.7 million views across its amplifier networks. To counter these threats, the study proposes key recommendations such as increasing high-quality Kazakh- and Uzbek-language content, expanding monitoring to platforms like TikTok and Threads, and moving toward proactive resilience-building in editorial standards. 

Read the full report here.

*The report was prepared by the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC). It was funded by the European Union as part of the project “Cultivating Audience Resilience through Amplification of Vibrant and Authentic Narratives” (CARAVAN) implemented by Internews. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the European Neighbourhood Council, and Internews Europe, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Helping end the war in Gaza: What does the EU get?

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) has released its new analysis titled “Helping End the War in Gaza: What Does the EU Get?”

The article is authored by Ebtisam Hussein, ENC Academic Council member and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of London branch of the European Universities in Egypt.

The paper examines the European Union’s efforts to help end the war in Gaza following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023 and the subsequent Israeli military offensive that triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. It argues that while the EU publicly emphasizes humanitarian concerns and provides significant financial and humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, its engagement is also driven by strategic interests.

The full paper is available here.

ENC Analysis

Words and Wires: Understanding Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) and Why It Matters for the EU and Türkiye

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) has released its new analysis titled “Words and Wires: Understanding Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) and Its Significance for the EU and Türkiye”

The article is authored by Asuman Kubra Bas, Head of Projects and Research at ENC.

This paper examines Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) as a growing hybrid challenge for the European Union and its partners, including Türkiye. Drawing on the EEAS FIMI Threat Reports, open-source investigations, and new data on coordinated online behaviour, it looks at how such incidents unfold across Europe, the tactics used to carry them out, and their wider impact on both the EU and Türkiye. The paper ends with recommendations for building resilience through early coordination, behavioural monitoring, and closer cross-border cooperation within the new European Democracy Shield framework.

The full paper is available here.

ENC Analysis – Karakalpakstan: Not separatists, but separate

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) has released its new analysis on titled”Karakalpakstan: Karakalpakstan: Not separatists, but separate“

The article is authored by Bruce Pannier, a longtime journalist, ENC External Advisor, and Central Asia Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and Research Fellow at the Turan Research Center, and Fellow at the Delphi Global Research Center.

Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan, faces profound challenges,  from the ecological collapse of the Aral Sea and severe public health impacts to political unrest and questions over cultural identity. In this ENC analysis, Bruce Pannier explores the region’s complex history, the events surrounding the July 2022 protests, ongoing development efforts, and the prospects for the Karakalpak people.

The full paper is available here.

ENC Researchers Asuman Kubra Bas, Thomas Jacobs and Samuel Doveri Vesterbye Publish New Book Chapter on Mediatized Discourses in Belgium

ENC researchers have published a new book chapter on the representation of the EU and Europeanization in Belgian media, as part of the Mediatized EU project, funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme.

The chapter appears in the newly released open access volume Mediatized Discourses on Europeanization and their Representations in European Public Spheres, published by Thomson Reuters Aranzadi. The book brings together case studies from seven countries — Belgium, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain. The volume offers invaluable perspectives on the evolution of the media’s role in the process of Europeanization and how these dynamics resonate among the public, focusing on the elite–media–public triangle.

ENC’s Asuman Kubra Bas (Head of Projects & Research), Dr. Thomas Jacobs (Academic Council Member), and Samuel Doveri Vesterbye (Director) co-authored the chapter on Belgium. Their analysis reveals increasing securitization in EU-related media discourse—especially in the context of the war in Ukraine and migration—and highlights converging perspectives among elites across linguistic communities. Despite more reserved public attitudes, the chapter finds that general trust in EU institutions remains.

🔗 Read the book (Open Access): https://bit.ly/43OSiA9
🛒 Purchase print edition: https://bit.ly/4n2gsi4

We would like to sincerely acknowledge our colleagues who contributed to research, data collection, and project management throughout the four years of the Mediatized EU project, including Andreas Marazis, Dr. Tom Willaert, Maria Bevza, Katsyarina Vinnikiva, Lucia Lalikova, and many others.

Central Asia is Rising: Regional Integration, Border Resolution, and Strategic Autonomy

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released a new analysis on “Regional Integration, Border Resolution, and Strategic Autonomy.”

The article is written by Nazerke Mukhamediya, ENC Research and Communications Assistant and Independent Researcher and Dr. Aijan Sharshenova, ENC Academic Council Member and the Executive Director at Crossroads Central Asia.

Following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, Central Asia grappled with building statehood amid unresolved borders and weak infrastructure, hindering regional integration for decades. Today, however, the region shows renewed momentum for cooperation around shared goals like connectivity, water management, and global engagement. This ENC analysis examines recent milestones—including border agreements and regional forums like the C5+1—highlighting the potential for a new era of regionalism. Despite persistent challenges, the authors argue that deeper cooperation is key to Central Asia’s stability, prosperity, and growing role in the international arena.

The full analysis is available here.

France, Its Nuclear Deterrence and Europe: How to Help It Take the Leap

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released a new analysis on “France, Its Nuclear Deterrence, and Europe: How to Help It Take the Leap.”

The article is written by ENC Academic Council Member Florian Galleri, ENC Academic Council Member and a doctor at the University of Nantes.

France has long championed a stronger European defense, yet its nuclear deterrent remains outside collective frameworks. As the EU’s only nuclear power, France faces a key challenge: balancing its strategic autonomy with the need for European security cooperation. This ENC analysis explores the tensions between France’s nuclear independence and European solidarity, the skepticism surrounding nuclear deterrence in Europe, and the potential pathways for integrating France’s nuclear capabilities into a European security framework.

The full analysis is available here.

ENC Analysis

Perceptions of Elites on the European Union and Europeanization: The Belgian Case

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Perceptions of Elites on the European Union and Europeanization: The Belgian Case.”

The article is written by Asuman Kubra Bas, ENC Project Manager and Researcher and Prof. Thomas Jacobs, Professor at UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles and ENC Academic Council Member.

Belgium’s strong pro-European stance shapes its political and media debates, yet is far from being monolithic. Beyond the surface, key debates around migration, security, and economic solidarity reveal how Belgian elites interpret, negotiate, and contest European identity and values. This ENC analysis, drawing on interviews with actors from Belgium’s political and media spheres conducted MEDIATIZED EU – Mediatized Discourses on Europeanization and Their Representations in Public Perceptions Project*, demonstrates how Europe serves as a unifying yet contested idea, shaping public discourse and sparking new debates.

The full analysis is available here.

* The project was concluded in 2024 with the support from European Union’s H2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement no 101004534 – Mediatized EU – H2020 – SC6 – Transformations – 2020.