Sputnik goes live as Lavrov holds a press conference after his visit to Astana, where he held talks with Kazakhstan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister.
According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the talks were expected to focus on preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin's planned state visit to Kazakhstan. In July, Putin accepted an invitation from his Kazakh counterpart, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to visit the republic again in November.
Tokayev suggested that the Russian leader combine the visit with participation in a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Follow Sputnik’s live feed to learn more!