Russia and Kazakhstan Hold Summit, Sign Agreement on Kazakhstan’s First Nuclear Power Plant Construction

Joint Declaration Outlining "Seven Principles of Friendship" and Oil Sector Agreement Also Signed

Russia and Kazakhstan have agreed to cooperate on the construction of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant. Russia will not only be responsible for building the nuclear plant but will also provide financial support, further expanding its influence in the Central Asian energy market.

According to Russian state news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti on May 28 (local time), Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on this day at the Palace of Independence in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. At the summit, the two leaders signed a cooperation agreement for the construction of the Balkhash nuclear power plant. The Balkhash nuclear power plant is Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power project.

Kazakhstan decided to construct the nuclear power plant through a national referendum in 2024. The site is the village of Ulken, located about 400 kilometers northwest of the former capital Almaty, on the shore of Lake Balkhash. In June last year, Kazakhstan designated Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom as the lead company for the international consortium.

President Tokayev stated at the summit, "The agreement signed today for the construction of the Balkhash nuclear power plant is of great significance," and added, "I would like to thank President Putin for helping to make this large-scale project possible." The two countries also signed an agreement for Russia to provide credit to finance the construction of the nuclear power plant.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the 27th (local time) and entered the welcome ceremony venue together with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The next day, President Putin held a summit with President Tokayev and signed a cooperation agreement for the construction of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant. Kremlin Palace

Energy cooperation was also a major topic at this summit. The two countries have been discussing increasing the volume of Russian crude oil sent through Kazakhstan to China by about 2.5 million tons. During the summit, an agreement was also signed to expand cooperation in the oil sector.

The two leaders signed a joint statement outlining the seven foundations of friendship between their peoples, as well as an agreement to expand cooperation in the oil sector. President Putin commented, "We have made significant efforts to take additional measures to deepen and broaden our countries' strategic partnership," adding, "This relationship is based on a strong tradition of friendship and mutual respect, formed over several centuries of coexistence between our peoples, including within a single state system."

President Putin also emphasized that military cooperation between the two countries contributes to regional stability and security, and highlighted the importance of collaboration in the energy and mechanical engineering sectors.

President Tokayev noted, "Russia is the country that invests the most in the Kazakh economy," and said, "As we have agreed, our cooperation will continue to be successful."

President Putin visited Kazakhstan the previous day to attend the Eurasian Economic Union Economic Forum being held on May 29. He had previously made a state visit to Kazakhstan in November 2024. Since a state visit by a head of state usually occurs only once per term, this visit is seen as a sign of the close ties between the two countries.

Prior to this visit, President Putin announced that he had sent four Amur tigers, captured in Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk region, to help restore the tiger population in Kazakhstan. In 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia also sent 30 purebred gray horses to North Korea, with which it has strengthened relations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.