Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to consider freezing the conflict in Ukraine to reach a peace deal. Speaking during a Russia-Kazakhstan forum in Omsk, Russia, on Saturday, Tokayev suggested returning to a revamped version of the 2022 Istanbul talks, which he referred to as the Istanbul formula 2.0.
Tokayev emphasized the need to stop the violence, stating that it is a shame young people are dying and that the conflict must be brought to an end. He noted that peace could move forward with security guarantees from great powers, including Russia, and praised Putin's utmost diplomatic flexibility.
While Kazakhstan is an ally of Russia, it has never expressed support for Moscow's war in Ukraine. Despite his calls for peace, Tokayev declined to serve as a mediator between the two countries.