OMSK, July 25 /TASS/. The trade turnover between Russia and Kazakhstan gained over 4% in the first five months of 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

On Saturday, Putin arrived in the Siberian city of Omsk where he is to take part in the 22nd Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum. Before taking part in the forum’s events, he met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. During the meeting, the Russian leader said the relations between Moscow and Astana are of strategic nature, and the growing bilateral trade confirms this.

"It stood at almost 28 billion last year <…> and gained over 4% in the first five months [of 2026]," Putin said. "This is good dynamics that shows our good prospects."

The Russian leader went on to say that Russian enterprises are taking part in 70 investment projects in Kazakhstan, worth around $30 billion in total.

"Russia is a major investor in the economy of Kazakhstan, in various areas. Our relations are very diversified, including metallurgy, machine-building, energy, the pharmaceutical industry and other areas," Putin said.