ASTANA: Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana for a state visit, the highest level of diplomatic co...
ASTANA: Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana for a state visit, the highest level of diplomatic contact.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who invited Putin to the country, welcomed him on the tarmac.
The presidential Il-96 aircraft was escorted by two fighter jets of the Kazakh Air Defense Forces.
The Russian president was greeted on the tarmac by a presidential military band and a youth orchestra. Children stood in line on a light-blue carpet, welcoming Putin and waving Russian and Kazakh flags. A platoon of a separate honor guard company representing all branches of the Kazakh Armed Forces also arrived on the tarmac.
This is the 39th meeting between the leaders of the two countries. The visit is special because it has been given state-visit status for the second time in Putin’s current presidential term in departure from diplomatic protocol.
Putin and Tokayev are now expected to travel to the Kazakh president’s residence to hold a one-on-one meeting over lunch.
-News Feed
COMMENTS