ASTANA, November 27. /TASS/. Kazakhstan has been and remains Russia’s reliable ally and partner, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, receiving his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Astana with a state visit.

Tokayev noted that the two leaders published their articles in national media ahead of the visit.

"In my article I underscored that Kazakhstan has been and remains a reliable strategic partner of Russia, an ally of Russia in these difficult times," he said.