Abstract
The 2019 European Union’s (EU) renewed Strategy for Central Asia prioritizes closer regional cooperation among Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This study aims to examine the perspectives of intermediate elites in Central Asian countries on the EU's role in the region, exploring potential differences in their views on various aspects of the EU regional cooperation promotion agenda. It also seeks to identify the areas where these elites perceive the EU's efforts to promote regional cooperation as most influential. The questions are addressed through the results of online survey conducted among local policy analytics experts, diplomats, and journalists. The research findings indicate that as well as there is a general positive attitude towards EU, a local skepticism regarding EU geopolitical motivations and strategic coherence persists. Furthermore,the EU's potential positive effect on fostering regional cooperation in Central Asia, acknowledged by local elites, is in the domains of education and economic and environmental cooperation as well as there is a general perception on the EU democracy promotion. This article arguesthe EU's ability to effectively advance regional cooperation in Central Asia is contingent upon strategically prioritizing key areas of engagement appreciated by local elites.