Burc Eruygur
03 January 2025•Update: 04 January 2025
ISTANBUL
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday that while Astana acts abroad within the limits of its potential and capabilities, it is always ready to contribute to resolving international issues.
“I must emphasize that we do not ask or aspire to be called mediators anywhere. We act in the international arena within the limits of Kazakhstan's potential and capabilities. But we are always ready to contribute to the resolution of international issues,” Tokayev said in an interview with local newspaper Ana Tili.
Commenting on a question regarding his talks with US President-elect Donald Trump in December last year, Tokayev said he and Trump had a “meaningful and frank” conversation, and that his incoming US counterpart viewed Kazakhstan as an important strategic partner of the US.
Tokayev further said they agreed to maintain working contacts at the highest level, and that Trump asked him about his opinion on the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine.
“A unique situation is emerging: Russia is militarily invincible, and Ukraine, with the help of its Western allies, is hoping to survive the war, or at least not lose,” Tokayev went on to say, indicating that the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war depends on the will of his two counterparts, as well as that of Trump.
He also said Kazakhstan has been calling for negotiations to establish peace between Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022.
The Kazakh president also gave remarks about his country’s ties with China and Russia, stating that efforts have been made to deepen his country’s cooperation with Beijing and Moscow during last year's talks.
About his country’s plans to build its first nuclear power plant, Tokayev said this was a subject discussed during his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in November 2024, where he said Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom may take part in the consortium to be established for the project.
“Taking into account China’s great achievements in the construction of civilian nuclear facilities, negotiations are underway with a company from this country. Corporations from other countries, including Western countries, are interested in the project,” Tokayev said, noting that tender procedures will be held this year.
“In addition, I do not rule out the possibility of building a second or even a third nuclear power plant in the near future. The nuclear industry will give a huge impetus to the development of our economy, which is already experiencing an energy shortage,” he added.
About the recent Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near the city of Aktau, he recalled that the government commission created to determine the cause of the crash decided to send the black boxes retrieved at the crash site to Brazil, where he said the plane was manufactured.
“I am sure that this step is the only right decision necessary for an objective and impartial investigation,” Tokayev said.
