Putin Confirms 2026 Visit to Strengthen Ties with Kazakhstan

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted an invitation from Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to visit the Central Asian nation next year.

«Thank you. I will be pleased to travel to Kazakhstan,» Putin expressed to Tokayev in remarks shared by state media.

This would represent Putin’s fifth trip to Kazakhstan since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, although a specific date for the visit has yet to be revealed.

Geographically positioned between Russia to the north and China to the east, Kazakhstan has been navigating a delicate diplomatic path concerning the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Last Thursday, Tokayev and his fellow Central Asian leaders met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. During this summit, Trump prioritized critical minerals as a significant topic, while Tokayev emphasized the “beginning of a new era of interaction between the United States and Central Asia.”

The Kremlin indicated that Putin was «very keen» to hear about Tokayev’s discussions in Washington during his upcoming visit to Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that Putin and Tokayev intended to discuss collaborative projects as well as the effects of U.S. sanctions on major Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft, both of which have substantial operations in Kazakhstan.

During their meeting at the Kremlin on Wednesday, Tokayev and Putin committed to continuing the signing and execution of agreements that enhance their nations’ strategic partnership and economic collaboration, projecting bilateral trade to reach nearly $30 billion by 2024.

Putin noted that Tokayev’s visit has elevated the two countries’ relations to a “higher intergovernmental level.”