Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that relations between Kazakhstan and Russia are developing on an upward trajectory, despite regular discussions on various areas of cooperation. He also described the fields of education, energy, industry, and the space sector as promising.
WHAT VLADIMIR PUTIN SAID ABOUT BILATERAL RELATIONS
Vladimir Putin made the relevant statement during a meeting with the media on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
"Our relations with Kazakhstan are developing very successfully, on an upward trajectory. At the same time, I want to note right away that our Kazakh friends and partners are not exactly easy partners. On almost every issue, we always have a very heated discussion," Putin stated.
According to the Russian leader, discussions arise regarding financial relations, industrial cooperation, investment activity, and the implementation of major projects. At the same time, as the Russian President noted, both sides strive to find compromises that help achieve common goals.
He emphasised that the common task is the development and improvement of the well-being of the citizens of Kazakhstan and Russia.
WHICH AREAS OF COOPERATION WERE HIGHLIGHTED
Vladimir Putin noted that the countries are linked by centuries of history, and education remains one of the promising areas of interaction. According to him, the development of support programmes for gifted children is of interest. In this regard, he mentioned the Sirius system, at the launch of which the presidents of the two states were previously present.
The Russian President specifically addressed cooperation in energy, industry, and the space sector. He also mentioned the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.
According to Putin, the implementation of the NPP project will make it possible to provide the country with additional energy capacity and will contribute to the formation of a new sector of the economy. He added that the development of nuclear energy will be accompanied by the training of specialists, the expansion of scientific research, and the creation of a production base.
Furthermore, the Russian leader confirmed the intention of the parties to continue cooperation in the fields of uranium mining, mechanical engineering, and other areas.
WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION
During his interaction with journalists, Vladimir Putin also commented on the transfer of Amur tigers to Kazakhstan. According to him, this step is linked to the tasks of restoring nature and preserving the population of rare animals.
The Russian President noted that the conservation of tigers and other rare species is an important area of environmental cooperation. He also confirmed the intention to continue dialogue on practical environmental issues, including the use of the resources of transboundary rivers.
HOW PUTIN ASSESSED KAZAKHSTAN'S RESOURCE POTENTIAL
According to Vladimir Putin, Kazakhstan possesses significant natural resources that are in demand on the global market. He noted that the countries already cooperate in the supply of fuel for nuclear power plants and expressed confidence in the further development of joint projects.