It's time to sum up the opening. Black has a solid looking position, but he still has to solve the problem of how to develop his queenside. White's queen is on an unusual square but she is well placed to add to the pressure on Black's queenside. White fully mobilises his game with a threat to c5. Kramnik counterattacks in the centre.
Every plan needs the use of pawns at some point.
15 axb5 will give White an attack on a7 to add to his possibilities along the c file. Nevertheless he cannot claim to have fully equalised. The pawn on b7 remains vulnerable to an attack by Nc5 and there is still the c file to worry about. According to IM Mark Ferguson White has a clear technical edge and good chances to increase the pressure. He suggests taking the queen and then going Nc5.