Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu welcomed the delegations ahead of the official session, which began with a traditional photo ceremony. Ministers then moved on to discuss key regional and international cooperation matters.
Nurtleu highlighted Kazakhstan’s contribution during World War II, noting that 1.2 million Kazakhs — about 25% of the population — were mobilized to the front. He emphasized the republic’s role as a strategic rear base, supplying over 5 million tons of grain and 800,000 tons of meat, with nine out of ten bullets cast from Kazakh lead.
He congratulated participants on the upcoming Victory Day and wished peace and prosperity.
The CIS meeting will address strengthening cooperation in political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian areas. The Central Asia–Russia format will focus on trade, investment, logistics, culture, and regional security.
Nurtleu also held a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss implementation of high-level agreements and current bilateral initiatives.
