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Putin, Nazarbayev to discuss situation in Ukraine, bilateral relations — presidential aide

“Russian-Kazakh partner relations have comprehensive strategic and allied character,” Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (R) ITAR-TASS/Alexey Nikolsky/Archive
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (R)
© ITAR-TASS/Alexey Nikolsky/Archive

MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with his Kazakh counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev, later on Monday to discuss the situation in Ukraine and other pressing international issues and bilateral relations.

Putin’s talks with Nazarbayev will he held immediately after the latter’s visit to Ukraine, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov told journalists. “Naturally, they will discuss the situation in Ukraine, which is quite logical after Nazarbayev’s visit to Kiev and bearing in mind Putin’s telephone conversation with the presidents of France, Germany and Ukraine later on Monday,” he said.

“Today, it is planned to address a range of issues of bilateral cooperation, and to discuss pressing international problems,” he noted.

He also said that the Russian and Kazakh president would exchange ratification documents on the Russia-Kazakhstan Treaty on Good-Neighborly and Allied Relations in the 21st Century. The document was signed by Putin and Nazerbayev in November 2013 in Russia’s Yekaterinburg and embraces all spheres of bilateral cooperation in conditions of Eurasian integration. It lays a new legal framework for joint efforts to withstand new threats and challenges.

“The sides will also sign documents on joint use of the Baikonur space center,” Ushakov said, adding that these documents would not be signed in the presence of the two leaders.

Nazarbayev arrives in Moscow to attend summit meetings of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union that will be held on Tuesday. Later on Monday, Putin and Nazarbayev will have their 10th meeting in the outgoing year. “It proves the closest character of cooperation between our countries and between the presidents,” Ushakov noted. “Russian-Kazakh partner relations have comprehensive strategic and allied character.” Russia ranks first among Kazakhstan’s trade partners. In 2013, bilateral trade increased by 4.6% on 2012 to reach a record-breaking level of $26.5 billion. In January-October 2014, trade between the two countries stood at $17.8 billion, having gone down by 8%.

“In the context of Kazakhstan’s presidency in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2015, special attention will be focused on celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War,” the Kremlin official added.