Astana, Nov 27 (EFE).- Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a state visit focused on securing Russia’s role in building the Central Asian nation’s first nuclear power plant and strengthening economic ties with its largest neighbor.
Strategic Partnership Between Russia and Kazakhstan
Putin was greeted at the airport by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who emphasized the strong relationship between the two nations.
“Kazakhstan was and remains a reliable strategic partner of Russia, an ally in these challenging times,” Tokayev said during their meeting at the presidential residence.
During the Kremlin leader’s visit, around 20 agreements are expected to be signed, according to official sources from both countries.
Nuclear Power Plant Consortium Discussions
A key topic on the agenda is the decision on which countries will join the international consortium responsible for constructing the nuclear plant near Lake Balkhash in central Kazakhstan.
Since the controversial October referendum, in which voters approved the project, Kazakh media have widely speculated that Moscow has the upper hand, particularly as Russia is also set to build a similar plant in Uzbekistan.
Currently, four nations are vying for a role in the consortium:
- Russia (via Rosatom)
- China (CNNC)
- France (EDF)
- South Korea (KHNP)
Russia is already involved in constructing three thermal power plants in Kazakhstan.
“Given reports of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, it’s highly unlikely that a South Korean company would join any consortium with a Russian counterpart. The same applies to the French company,” commented Dosym Satpayev, a prominent Kazakh political analyst.
Russia and Kazakhstan: A Long-Standing Alliance
Since taking office 25 years ago, Putin has visited Kazakhstan 32 times, reflecting the importance of the 7,500-kilometer (4,700-mile) border the two nations share.
This year alone, Putin has already met with Tokayev five times. Analysts note that around 20% of Kazakhstan’s economy relies on trade with Russia, which amounted to $26 billion last year.
In the first nine months of this year, bilateral trade volume has already reached nearly $20 billion, driven by the active participation of major companies like Gazprom, Lukoil, VTB Bank, and Yandex.
Agreements on Energy Cooperation
Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s foreign policy advisor, revealed that a protocol will be signed in Astana to extend the 2010 bilateral agreement on the supply of oil and petroleum products to Kazakhstan.
On Thursday, Putin is set to attend a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Astana, a post-Soviet military alliance aimed at fostering regional security. EFE