Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev raised the possibility of freezing the Ukraine-Russia conflict and returning to the Istanbul negotiation format during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Omsk on July 25, ahead of the XXII Interregional Cooperation Forum between Russia and Kazakhstan.
According to elchi, Tokayev stated that he has been receiving numerous signals from Europe and the US regarding the current situation between Ukraine and Russia.
“You know, in my opinion, I have said from the beginning that this is an interstate conflict. It is not any civil war happening in Crimea or elsewhere. We have always respected the Ukrainian people, their culture, and their language, and we believe that the essence of this conflict is not entirely clear to many, including us,” the President of Kazakhstan emphasized.
He noted that while the essence and historical roots of the long-standing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia are clear, it is more difficult to understand the causes of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Tokayev also mentioned that Vladimir Putin demonstrated maximum diplomatic flexibility during the meeting held in Anchorage, Alaska.
“This is just my humble opinion. Perhaps it is time to freeze this conflict and return to the Istanbul formula 2.0. Because significant results had been achieved there. Later, of course, this process can be moved forward under the guarantees of major powers, including Russia,” Tokayev added.