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On the eve of my regular state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, I would like to share my vision of the current state and future of the relations between our two countries on the pages of the authoritative Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper.

The cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan has been a genuine alliance, which continues to develop actively in all directions. Our partnership is underpinned by traditions of friendship, good neighbourliness and mutual assistance and relies on unwavering principles of equality and consideration of each other's interests. The peoples of Russia and Kazakhstan are connected by the bonds of similar cultural, spiritual and moral values, centuries of living in one State, as well as shared achievements and victories.

The strong good personal relationship that Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and I have developed after the years of joint work, are yet another proof of the level of our two States’ ties. We regularly call each other and meet in various formats. We constantly coordinate our positions on pressing bilateral, as well as on regional and global issues, and make plans for the future. The most important thing is that both President Tokayev and I have always sought specific results and tried to do our utmost to ensure the best possible conditions to enable further steady development of Russian-Kazakh cooperation, the prosperity of our countries, and the improving of the quality of life of our citizens.

Russia is one of Kazakhstan's major economic partners. Our states have actively supported Eurasian economic integration and were among the founders of the Eurasian Economic Union, where we have been developing a common market of goods, services and capital, removing regulatory and trade barriers and creating a common transport and logistics infrastructure. All of this enables us to cooperate effectively in various economic areas and substantially benefits our countries.

The impressive volume of our bilateral trade speaks for itself. Last year it reached a new peak hitting the USD 28 billion mark, and already exceeded USD 20 billion between January and September 2024. Our bilateral trade has been constantly diversifying, with the share of higher value-added non-commodity goods growing continuously. Besides, settlements in national currencies have played an increasing role, which has helped protect business transactions between our countries from the negative impact of external, including political, factors.

Russian investments in Kazakhstan's economy have also been growing annually; today they amount to about USD 13 billion. More than 23,000 enterprises with Russian capital operate in the Republic. Companies of our countries are implementing a number of major joint projects in the field of industrial cooperation and high technologies and develop new full production cycle manufacturing processes, which facilitates comprehensive economic modernization and strengthens the technological sovereignty of Russia and Kazakhstan.

Our countries are engaged in equally constructive cooperation in the oil and gas sector. Due to the activities of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, over 80 percent of Kazakhstan's oil is exported to foreign markets via Russian territory and Russian port infrastructure on the Black Sea. The energy companies of our companies are jointly developing hydrocarbon reserves, processing energy resources and expanding the pipeline system.

Rosatom provides practical assistance in the implementation of nuclear fuel cycle projects and the development of the uranium industry in Kazakhstan. The Russian state corporation, which has unique competencies and technical solutions, often unparalleled in the world, is ready for new large-scale projects with Kazakhstan. Good prospects are also opening up for cooperation in the field of alternative and clean energy, environmental protection and combating climate change.

There is a whole range of promising industrial projects and initiatives in other areas of economic cooperation as well. I would like to mention, for example, the ongoing work to expand the eastern branch of the North-South international transport corridor that passes through Kazakhstan, and the creation of the Baiterek space rocket complex at the Baikonur Cosmodrome using the Russian Soyuz-5 rocket carrier.

The regions of our countries are making a tangible contribution to strengthening our mutually beneficial collaboration. Practically all of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation have established direct ties with their partners from Kazakhstan, and are working together on projects in the field of energy, industry, transport, and high technologies. These days, Ufa is hosting the 20^th jubilee Interregional Cooperation Forum that traditionally gathers government senior officials, lawmakers, representatives of ministries and agencies, business, scientific and social circles, i.e. all those who deal with the practical issues of the development of bilateral relations. Mr Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and I are going to address participants in the forum via videolink. In addition, a large-scale Programme for Interregional and Cross-Border Cooperation has been developed. It comprises some 150 joint activities and projects aimed at creating favourable conditions for further progressive socio-economic growth of the regions of Russia and Kazakhstan, and for improving the quality of life for people.

Humanitarian exchanges occupy a traditionally important place in the spectrum of Russian-Kazakh interaction. Both Russian and Kazakh sides do much to expanding cooperation in culture, sports, through social and youth communities, and, certainly, in education. Around 60,000 Kazakhstani students attend Russian higher education institutions. Branches of many leading Russian higher education institutions, including Lomonosov Moscow State University, operate successfully in Kazakhstan. In the near future already, a branch of MGIMO University of the MFA of Russia whose graduates include many famous Kazakhstanis, including Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will open in Astana.

Russia also supports the construction of new Russian language schools in Kazakhstan, as well as enhancing the quality of school education in Russian language. We expect that soon three more such schools will open in the cities of Kyzylorda, Taraz and Turkistan. And we are naturally grateful to the leadership of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and personally Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, for the caring attitude to the Russian language and putting forward an important initiative of establishing the International Organization for the Russian language which will contribute to the promotion of the Russian language as a means of interstate and international communication.

I would like to emphasize that next year the peoples of our countries will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. We look forward to seeing President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and our other Kazakh friends at the anniversary celebrations in Moscow on 9 May. Both Russia and Kazakhstan remember and sacredly honour the feat of their fathers and grandfathers, who fought shoulder to shoulder against Nazism. And we must certainly do our utmost to ensure that future generations remember the cost of defending peace and freedom. This is especially important now, at a time when a more just multipolar world order is formed based on equal cooperation and new opportunities for sovereign development.

Russia and Kazakhstan are at the forefront of these processes and take similar positions with regard to the key role of international law in interstate relations, and the need to take into account the interests of all countries in matters of global security, stability and sustainable development. It is on the basis of these approaches that our countries cooperate productively within multilateral organizations, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The President of Kazakhstan took part in the CIS Summit in Moscow and in the BRICS Summit in Kazan which were held in October with great success. In particular, one of the important decisions taken at the BRICS Meeting of State Leaders was the establishment of a new category – ”Partner Country“ of our Group, as well as the list of candidate countries to obtain such status was agreed. Kazakhstan was invited to join the BRICS in this capacity.

I would like to emphasize once again that Russia is willing to continue developing multifaceted relations of friendship and alliance with the Republic of Kazakhstan for the benefit of our peoples. I wish all citizens of Kazakhstan success, well-being and prosperity.