ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 20. Kazakhstan and
Russia held bilateral consultations on arms control, disarmament,
and non-proliferation in Astana, Trend reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Kazakhstan.


The Kazakh delegation was led by First Deputy Foreign Minister
Yerzhan Ashikbayev, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
heading the Russian side.


During the meeting, the sides discussed global security issues,
including strengthening nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation,
biological security, and export control matters. They also
exchanged views on priorities for cooperation in multilateral
platforms, such as the UN General Assembly First Committee, the
Conference on Disarmament, and the upcoming 11th Review Conference
of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.


The parties confirmed their intention to continue a substantive
dialogue on these topics.


According to the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, the 11th
Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons will take place from 27 April
through 22 May 2026 at the UN Headquarters in New York.







The NPT entered into force in 1970 and was extended indefinitely
in 1995. The treaty is regarded as the cornerstone of the global
nuclear non-proliferation regime and an essential foundation for
the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It was designed to prevent the
spread of nuclear weapons, to further the goals of nuclear
disarmament and general and complete disarmament, and to promote
cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.


Both Russia and Kazakhstan are involved in nuclear
non-proliferation treaties but differ in nuclear status.
Kazakhstan, having denuclearized after 1991, is a non-nuclear state
party to the NPT and TPNW, dismantling its Soviet-era arsenal and
returning warheads to Russia by 1996. In 2019, Kazakhstan ratified
the TPNW and participates in the CTBT. Conversely, Russia is
recognized as a nuclear-weapon state under the NPT, maintaining a
considerable arsenal while engaging in disarmament discussions.
Although Kazakhstan is non-nuclear, it still collaborates with
Russia on military technology testing.


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