ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 27. Russian President
Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to Kazakhstan on May 27–29.
As part of the visit, the Eurasian Economic Forum, involving the
heads of state of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member
countries, as well as a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic
Council, will be held.


Relations between Kazakhstan and Russia in 2025–2026 have
maintained their traditionally high level. In November 2025, the
state visit of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to
Russia concluded with the signing of a declaration on the
transition to a comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance.
In 2026, bilateral dialogue continued at a high level. A working
visit by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to Kazakhstan
took place, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also paid an
official visit to the country.


Economic cooperation between the two countries continues to
expand. Russia ranks second among Kazakhstan’s trade partners after
China. According to the Bureau of National Statistics of
Kazakhstan, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Russia amounted
to $6.456 billion in January–March 2026, accounting for 19.6% of
Kazakhstan’s total foreign trade turnover. This represented an
increase of 16.2% compared to the corresponding period of the
previous year. Russia also ranked first in imports to Kazakhstan
with a share of 33.3% and third in Kazakhstan’s exports with a
share of 8.3%. The parties intend to increase bilateral trade
turnover to $30 billion annually. By the end of 2025, the figure
had already reached $27.4 billion.


The investment partnership between the two countries also
remains substantial. According to official data, Russian
investments in Kazakhstan have exceeded $28 billion over the past
20 years, while Kazakh investments in Russia amounted to
approximately $9 billion. This has contributed to the formation of
a stable network of joint projects and business ties supporting
trade and industrial cooperation.


Transport and logistics play a major role. The countries are
developing the international “North–South” corridor, in particular
its eastern route with the participation of Turkmenistan and Iran.
By 2030, its throughput capacity is expected to reach 20 million
tons per year. Routes such as “Western Europe – Western China” and
border infrastructure are also being developed. In November 2025, a
roadmap for the modernization of automobile checkpoints was signed.
It provides for increased throughput capacity, reduced border
crossing time, and simplified conditions for business. On the
Kazakh side, 30 checkpoints are being modernized. In 2026, a
memorandum of cooperation in the field of unmanned transport and
digital technologies was also signed.







Energy remains a key element of relations. Up to 80% of
Kazakhstan’s oil exports pass through the Caspian Pipeline
Consortium, which goes through the territory of Russia to the port
of Novorossiysk. The CPC remains the main oil export route and
directly links Kazakhstan’s budget with Russian transit
infrastructure. Russia is also building the first nuclear power
plant in Kazakhstan on the shore of Lake Balkhash.


In May 2026, meetings were held in Moscow between the Minister
of Energy of Kazakhstan and the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and
the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation. Earlier, in
October 2025, Gazprom and the Government of Kazakhstan signed a
memorandum on the gasification of Kokshetau and Petropavlovsk
through the expansion of the “Saryarka” gas pipeline.


Trade, energy, and logistics remain system-forming directions of
economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia. Their
integration ensures the stability of bilateral ties, despite
Kazakhstan’s development of alternative transport routes, including
the Middle Corridor, aimed at diversifying logistics. State visits
and regular high-level meetings confirm the stability of bilateral
interaction.