Kremlin: Putin and Tokayev will discuss gas projects, US sanctions against Russian oil and other issues.

The Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Kazakh President Kassym Jomart Tokayev in Moscow to discuss gas projects, as well as the impact of U.S. sanctions against Russian oil companies.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said that Putin was also interested in hearing about the talks Tokayev held last week with Donald Trump and other Central Asian presidents.

Peskov stated that "if the president of Kazakhstan feels it necessary to tell our president the details of his contacts in Washington, then this will be very interesting for the Russians."

Peskov responded that the two leaders will discuss the impact of U.S. economic sanctions on Russian oil giants Lukoil & Rosneft. "Our trade and economy cooperation with Kazakhstan has many facets." It is a broad-based cooperation that covers almost every aspect of the economy. ?cooperation.

"Therefore all areas of collaboration will be discussed in depth without fail."

Both Russian oil firms, sanctioned last month by the Trump Administration as U.S. efforts for peace brokering in Ukraine have failed, have substantial holdings in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is an energy giant which exports its majority of oil via Russia.

Lukoil has stakes in both the Tengiz field and Karachaganak field, which are operated primarily by Western majors.

Kazakhstan has been on a tightrope diplomatically over the conflict in Ukraine. It maintains close ties with its neighbour and main trading partner, Russia, while also expressing support to Ukraine's territorial unity. Reporting by Felix Light, Editing by Mark Trévelyan.

(source: Reuters)