AZE.US
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine, urging both sides to freeze the fighting and return to negotiations. The Kremlin rejected the proposal, saying a ceasefire under the current conditions was impossible.
Tokayev raised the issue during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Omsk, describing the continued loss of life on both sides as a tragedy.
He suggested that Moscow and Kyiv could return to a revised version of the negotiations held in Istanbul during the early months of the war.
“Perhaps this conflict should already be frozen and the parties should return to an Istanbul 2.0 formula, since significant results were achieved there,” Tokayev said.
The Kazakh leader argued that a future agreement could be supported by security guarantees from major powers, including Russia. He also stressed that Kazakhstan was not seeking to become a formal mediator between Moscow and Kyiv.
Putin did not directly respond to the proposal during the public portion of the meeting, saying the two leaders would discuss the situation in Ukraine behind closed doors.
The Kremlin later made clear that Moscow had rejected Tokayev’s suggestion.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had explained Russia’s position to the Kazakh president and argued that freezing the conflict was not possible, citing Kyiv’s position.
Peskov said Russia remained focused on achieving the objectives of what Moscow calls its “special military operation.” He added that the fighting could end if Ukraine made what the Kremlin described as the necessary decisions.
Ukraine, meanwhile, expressed support for Tokayev’s call.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the Kazakh president’s appeal as realistic, timely and wise. He said Ukraine had already proposed halting the fighting along the current front line and moving toward diplomacy, but accused Russia of rejecting that option.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has also recently argued that an immediate ceasefire would be preferable to another decade or more of war and continued casualties.
The exchange once again highlighted the central divide between the two sides. Kyiv says negotiations should begin with an unconditional ceasefire, while Moscow insists that the fighting can stop only after its political and territorial demands are addressed.
AZE.US