MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev have held a phone call, reaffirming their determination to boost relations between the two countries, the Kremlin press service said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The parties reaffirmed their determination to further boost allied Russian-Kazakh relations and expand mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas," the statement reads.
According to the Kremlin, Putin also wished Tokayev a happy 70th birthday.
Putin also sent a congratulatory birthday message to the Kazakh president. "I expect that we will continue our constructive dialogue and close cooperation, strengthening strategic partnership and allied relations between Russia and Kazakhstan and promoting mutually beneficial integration processes in Eurasia," the message reads. Putin wished his Kazakh counterpart good health, happiness, prosperity and success in his activities for the benefit of his country’s people.
Putin and Tokayev held their previous phone conversation on January 3, exchanging New Year’s greetings and discussing bilateral cooperation. In addition, the Kazakh president thanked the Russian head of state for his warm welcome at the informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) that had taken place in St. Petersburg on December 26-27, 2022.
On May 8-9, Tokayev made a working visit to Moscow. Along with other CIS leaders, he attended the Victory Day parade on Red Square. The Kazakh presidential press service reported following the visit that "Tokayev had a substantive conversation with Putin." The two leaders "discussed pressing issues pertaining to bilateral cooperation" and "highlighted the need to further enhance partnership based on mutual respect and in the interests of the two countries’ people.".
