ASTANA: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reaffirmed the strength of bilateral ties during high-level talks in Astana on Wednesday, emphasizing cooperation in energy, trade, transport connectivity, artificial intelligence, and environmental protection.Addressing a joint press briefing after the negotiations, President Putin described the talks as “businesslike, constructive, and highly productive,” while Tokayev hailed the visit as a landmark event in the history of Russian-Kazakh strategic partnership.
Tokayev said relations between Kazakhstan and Russia had “stood the test of time” and continued to successfully respond to modern geopolitical and economic challenges. He called comprehensive cooperation with Russia a “priority” for Kazakhstan and stressed that friendship and mutual trust between the two countries were “not propaganda slogans, but the essence of bilateral relations.”The Kazakh president also praised Putin’s leadership, saying the Russian leader was carrying out a mission of “crucial significance” for Russia and its people.
Trade and Economic Cooperation
Putin announced that trade turnover between Russia and Kazakhstan is expected to surpass $30 billion in the near future. He noted that almost all bilateral settlements are now conducted in national currencies, helping shield trade from external pressures and instability in global markets.
Tokayev highlighted the growing role of both countries in ensuring Eurasian transport connectivity, adding that cargo shipments between Russia and Kazakhstan continue to rise steadily.
Energy and Nuclear Cooperation
Energy cooperation featured prominently in the discussions. Putin stated that Russia’s Gazprom has continued uninterrupted gas supplies to northern Kazakhstan since Soviet times, noting that the arrangement remains economically beneficial for Kazakhstan.
The Russian president also underscored the importance of Moscow’s involvement in building a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, saying the project would create an entire new industry in the country, including education, workforce development, and technical training.Tokayev described cooperation in the energy sector as “very successful” and called the nuclear power plant project strategically important for Kazakhstan’s future development.
Shared Foreign Policy Vision
Putin said Moscow and Astana share “very close, almost identical” positions on major international issues and continue to coordinate policies through organizations including the United Nations, CIS, CSTO, and SCO.
The Russian president also revealed that both countries are jointly working on the implementation and development of artificial intelligence technologies.
Russian Language and Cultural Ties
Putin praised Kazakhstan’s continued support for the Russian language, noting that Russian remains widely used across the country and enjoys official status under Kazakhstan’s constitution.
He said Russia and Kazakhstan share a common Russian-language cultural space, which further strengthens people-to-people ties.
Tigers, Space Cooperation, and Media Collaboration
Tokayev thanked Russia for supporting Kazakhstan’s tiger population restoration program and described the Amur tigers gifted by Russia as a “valuable gift.” Putin cited the conservation initiative as an example of successful bilateral cooperation.
The Kazakh president also highlighted the long-standing significance of the Baikonur spaceport as a symbol of partnership between the two nations and said the Baiterek space project would open new opportunities in space cooperation.Additionally, Tokayev announced that the third Kazakhstan-Russia Media Forum would be held this year, stressing the need for joint efforts to combat disinformation and strengthen information cooperation.
