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Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a January 5, 2026 interview that Vladimir Putin received former president Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Kremlin in the days before New Year, stressing the meeting was informal and held at Nazarbayev’s personal request—an explanation aimed at cooling speculation.

This was reported by the Infohub.kz news agency.

What Tokayev revealed

Tokayev noted he does not interfere in or inquire about the substance of such conversations. He emphasized the Kremlin meeting was kept deliberately informal and should be viewed within the routine contacts leaders maintain.

How the meeting was arranged

According to Tokayev, Putin had flagged the planned audience in advance during a recent meeting in St. Petersburg. He added that these leader-to-leader conversations can occur even on a Saturday and often run at length, underscoring their informal nature.

Why it matters

The interview also addressed chatter about a potential 2029 political transition. Tokayev said principles of justice, the rule of law, and public order will guide decisions, and that the work of every citizen should be assessed fairly and without prejudice.

Nazarbayev’s legacy in Tokayev’s view

Tokayev described Nazarbayev as the founder of modern Kazakh statehood, crediting him with building core institutions, steering market reforms, and launching the new capital. He added that Putin views Nazarbayev as an experienced statesman central to Eurasian integration efforts.

Key facts

The interview was published on January 5, 2026; the Kremlin audience took place in the days before New Year in an informal format; Putin notified Tokayev about the plan during a meeting in St. Petersburg; the meeting was held at Nazarbayev’s personal request.