[en] Kinetic theory is used to develop equations describing dynamics of small-amplitude electromagnetic perturbations in toroidal axisymmetric plasmas. The closed Vlasov--Maxwell equations are first solved for a hot stationary plasma using the expansion in the small parameter ε_e=ρ/L, where ρ is the Larmor radius and L a characteristic length scale of the stationary state. The ordering and additional assumptions are specified so as to obtain the well-known Grad--Shafranov equation. The dielectric tensor of such a plasma is then derived. The Vlasov equation for the perturbed distribution function is solved by the expansion in the small parameters ε_e and ε_p=ρ/λ, where λ is a characteristic wavelength of the perturbing electromagnetic field. The solution is obtained up to the first order in ε_e and the second order in ε_p. By integrating the resulting distribution function over velocity space, an explicit expression for the tensor is derived in the form of a two-dimensional partial differential operator. The operator is shown to possess the proper symmetry corresponding to the energy conservation law