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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Nazarbayev,

First of all, I want to say that I have not seen you for a long time. I invited you for a long time, you did not come, but, thank God, finally you are here, and we have the opportunity to talk.

I must say that, thanks to your helping hand, the dynamics of Russian-Kazakhstani relations give us the opportunity to look confidently into the future.

Despite the fact that the pandemic has stolen four or five percent from our trade, if I am not mistaken, we can see an increase of about 20 percent – over 18 already this year, in the first half of the year. This is a good indicator that our relations will develop in the best possible way not only in trade but also in other areas.

We regularly meet and are in contact with the President of Kazakhstan [Kassym-Jomart Tokayev], and this dialogue is also in great demand and yields good results. I would like to ask you to convey my best wishes to him when you are back home.

Nursultan Nazarbayev: Thank you, Mr President.

First, your work and activity do not slow down with each passing year. I was supposed to come to Sochi, but the Kyrgyzstani, Tajikistani, and then Belarusian heads of state were there – and I decided not to stand in line. I am now a free man, not the President for the third year.

I cannot but meet with you, because the history of our relations, relations between Russia and Kazakhstan, are very stable, and they are probably an example of interstate relations. I adhere to this line, thanks to your helping hand, too, and as the honorary chairman of the Eurasian Economic Union, I continue to do this work.

And sincerely, in person, I would like to thank the Russian side for supporting Kazakhstan during the pandemic both with vaccines and medicines, and so on.

Remember, we went to an exhibition in St Petersburg, and then we agreed on a joint enterprise. Now in Karaganda, this enterprise produces a Russian vaccine of the same quality and in large quantities.

And I will never forget many things – when I fell ill, a group of Russian doctors stood by me for ten days. It was decisive in my recovery, so it will not be forgotten.

Thank you, Mr President, for your friendship. I am at such an age already when values ​​do not change. I assure you once again of our deepest respect.

I sincerely wish you success and good health.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

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