President Erdoğan hosts Kazakh top diplomat in Ankara for talks

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a closed-door meeting with Kazakhstan’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev, in Ankara on Monday. The discussions, which included Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, underscored the deepening strategic alliance between the two nations. This high-level diplomatic engagement coincided with the 8th session of the Türkiye-Kazakhstan Joint Strategic Planning Group, a key mechanism for coordinating bilateral relations.

Strengthening ties through strategic planning

Minister Kosherbayev's visit to Ankara was centered around the 8th meeting of the Türkiye-Kazakhstan Joint Strategic Planning Group. While specific details of the leaders' discussion were not disclosed, the high-level engagement highlights the ongoing institutional dialogue aimed at coordinating foreign policy and enhancing collaboration across multiple fronts between Ankara and Astana.

A pivotal economic partnership in Central Asia

The relationship is underpinned by substantial economic ties. Kazakhstan stands as Türkiye's foremost trade partner in Central Asia, with bilateral trade volume reaching $8.95 billion in the first eleven months of 2025. Furthermore, Kazakhstan is a critical energy supplier, ranking as Türkiye's third-largest source of crude oil after Russia and Iraq. Cooperation extends into renewable energy and energy logistics, forming a cornerstone of the strategic alliance.

Extensive Turkish investment across sectors

Turkish economic engagement in Kazakhstan is profound, with over 3,000 Turkish companies operating in the country. Cumulative Turkish investment in Kazakhstan's non-energy sectors has reached approximately $5.8 billion, solidifying Türkiye's position as one of the largest foreign investors and demonstrating the long-term commitment to the nation's economic development beyond hydrocarbon resources.