Kazakhstan's Tokayev Urges Ukraine War Freeze in Berlin
Appearing alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at a Berlin news conference, Tokayev said an immediate end to the war may not be realistic under present conditions.
He said Kazakhstan has consistently pledged to abide by the UN Charter and to uphold the territorial integrity of every state.
“From the very beginning, we have said, and I have stated this myself, that we hold the Ukrainian people, their history, culture, traditions, and, of course, the Ukrainian language in high regard. Therefore, I did not speak of an immediate end to the war,” he said.
“I understand that, under current circumstances, that would likely be unrealistic. I speak about freezing hostilities within Ukraine’s territory to facilitate a shift toward a process of diplomatic or any other form of negotiations,” he added.
Tokayev, who issued a similar appeal in July, said he was grateful to Russian President Vladimir Putin for understanding his position. He described the Russian leader as “an outstanding statesman.”
“I have very good relations with President Putin. I consider him, one might say, an outstanding statesman,” he said.
In Tokayev's view, Putin is “the most acceptable political figure” for Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, as well as for Europe and the wider world.
“I know him very well, and he possesses the qualities essential for the leader of a major state. With a complex history and his own understanding of the strategic goals facing this country,” he said.
Tokayev said Kazakhstan intends to keep friendly ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, pointing to its long frontier with Russia and its large ethnic Russian population.
“As for Russia, we must not forget that Kazakhstan and Russia share a border spanning 7,597 kilometers (4,750 mi)—the longest continuous land border in the world,” he said. “Is that not a factor in fostering friendly relations with that country?”
He stressed that “all these aspects must be taken into account,” and said his country needs peace and stability to succeed as a nation.
“Kazakhstan needs peace and stability; without them, we will never be a successful nation,” he said. “No matter what happens on the territory of Ukraine, we will always remember that both Russia and Ukraine are our good friends.”
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