Story perspectives

Putin Signs Kazakhstan Nuclear Deal, 85% Russian-Funded

5/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign a nuclear-power-plant agreement in Kazakhstan this week, after a 2024 referendum approved building reactors to reach 2.4 GW by 2035.
The project will be financed mainly by a Russian state export loan covering about 85 percent of the costs.
Putin will also discuss boosting Russian oil shipments to China via Kazakhstan, a plan still unrealized despite a 2025 agreement to raise exports to 12.5 million metric tons.

History

Historical Context

Since Kazakhstan first floated a new reactor in 1997, Russia and Kazakh officials formalized cooperation in 2006 when Rosatom secured an agreement that relied on Russian state financing. The 2024 referendum that backed the Ulken plant revives that framework, targeting 2.4 GW of capacity by 2035 and reinforcing Russia’s long-standing energy influence in Central Asia.

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Story summary

Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign a nuclear-power-plant agreement in Kazakhstan this week, after a 2024 referendum approved building reactors to reach 2.4 GW by 2035.
The project will be financed mainly by a Russian state export loan covering about 85 percent of the costs.
Putin will also discuss boosting Russian oil shipments to China via Kazakhstan, a plan still unrealized despite a 2025 agreement to raise exports to 12.5 million metric tons.

1 / 2