MOSCOW (The Moscow Times) – A trip by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kazakhstan, initially planned for last week, has been rescheduled for March 20, the Kremlin and the Kazakh presidential press service said Monday.

Putin returned to the limelight to receive the visiting president of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev, at the ornate Constantine Palace near St. Petersburg, his hometown and the imperial capital of Russia. He appeared healthy and long-winded, expounding on the value of economic collaboration among former Soviet states as a clatter of camera shutters captured his first public event since March 5.

Rumors have been swirling about Putin’s health when the meeting of the Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian leaders in Astana planned for this week was delayed.

Kremlin remains calm on various rumours about the health of Russian President Vladimir Putin, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday, joking that those spreading them may be hit by “spring fever”.

An AFP correspondent reported that Mr Putin looked “somewhat pale”. But Reuters reported: “There was nothing in his appearance that indicated any obvious health problems.”

The visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kazakhstan, initially planned for last week, has been rescheduled for March 20, the Kremlin and the Kazakh presidential press service said on Monday. He will discuss with Nursultan Nazarbayev and Alexander Lukashenko prospects of trading and economic cooperation between their countries, tendencies in the global economy as well as the situation in Ukraine.