Toqaev was given the position of Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government's top official, Alexander Novak.
In a recent meeting, Alexander Novak, Russian Deputy Prime Minister, extended greetings from President Vladimir Putin to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan. The discussion centred around issues of further strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation, with a focus on the energy sector [1].
One of the significant agreements under discussion is the construction of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant. Russia's atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, has been selected to lead an international consortium for this project, formalized at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2025 [2][3][4]. Despite Russia's involvement in construction and technology transfer, Kazakhstan will retain full ownership and control over operations, uranium fuel production, and all technological processes associated with the plant [2].
This nuclear power plant project aligns with Kazakhstan’s strategic agenda to enhance energy security and support the decarbonization of its economy. The collaboration with Russia on this project is framed within interstate cooperation for peaceful use of atomic energy [4].
The meeting also touched upon expanding cooperation in the electric power and oil and gas sectors. Russia remains Kazakhstan's largest investor, with a 25 percent increase in investment over the last 20 years, underlining the deepening trade and investment ties [5].
The energy sector cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia is part of a broader strengthening of bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation focused on energy security, industrial development, and infrastructure modernization [1][2][3][4][5].
President Tokayev stated that the relations between the two countries are developing in the spirit of friendship, good neighborliness, and alliance. He emphasized that interstate relations with Russia are developing dynamically [6].
This renewed focus on energy sector cooperation follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Kazakhstan in November 2024, which emphasized boosting ties in energy and industry, especially since Kazakhstan exports a significant portion of its oil through Russia but is also exploring alternative routes [1].
While Russia plays a pivotal role, Kazakhstan also explores cooperation with other countries, such as China, for future nuclear projects, indicating a diversified approach to its energy sector development [3].
Sources: [1] TASS, "Putin, Tokayev discuss energy sector interaction, cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan," 2025. [2] Interfax, "Rosatom to lead consortium for Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant," 2025. [3] Reuters, "Kazakhstan eyes nuclear projects with China amid Russia ties," 2024. [4] Nuclear Energy Institute, "Kazakhstan and Russia to collaborate on peaceful use of atomic energy," 2024. [5] Bloomberg, "Russia Remains Kazakhstan's Largest Investor Despite Falling FDI," 2021. [6] Akorda, "Tokayev-Novak meeting: relations between Kazakhstan and Russia are developing dynamically," 2025.
Politics and general-news outlets might report on the continuing cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia in the energy sector, particularly the construction of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant, which is part of Kazakhstan's broader strategy to bolster energy security and support the decarbonization of its economy. The Russian atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, has been chosen to lead an international consortium for this project, signifying the deepening trade and investment ties between the two countries.
