According to a report by Russian News Agency on July 25th, Kremlin spokesman Peskov said when commenting on the statement of Kazakh President Tokayev that considering Kiev's position, the Russo-Ukrainian conflict cannot be frozen.
On that day, Putin and Tokayev held talks at the Russian-Kazakhstani Regional Cooperation Forum. Tokayev proposed to stop combat operations and return to the negotiation plan from 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Tokayev said, "Perhaps it is time to freeze this conflict and return to the ‘Istanbul Plan 2.0’, as significant achievements have been made there. Of course, this requires the guarantees of major powers, including Russia. Then we can move towards the long-awaited peace." He also mentioned that he has received many signals about the conflict from Europe and the United States. Putin promised to give Tokayev a detailed briefing on the situation related to the Ukraine crisis.
Tokayev met with Russian President Putin in Omsk, Russia.
Peсковov emphasized, “This freezing is impossible.” He stated that the conditions for ending combat operations are clear: if Kiev makes the corresponding decisions, everything can be resolved before today ends.
Peskov also said that Putin responded to Tokayev's proposal to freeze the conflict and gave him a detailed update on the progress of the special military operations. A Kremlin spokesman noted, "For us, the main condition is that our goals must be achieved."
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is the current president of Kazakhstan, who took office in 2019. He has served as a diplomat for a long time, and has held positions as Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Senate, and has worked within the United Nations system. He pursues a "multifaceted" foreign policy, maintaining close strategic partnerships with Russia while actively developing relations with China, Western countries, and other nations.
On the issue of the conflict in Ukraine, Tokayev has always taken a relatively balanced and cautious stance. He has repeatedly called for peaceful settlement through negotiations and stated that Kazakhstan could provide a negotiation platform when necessary, without taking on the role of an official mediator. Saying "freezing the conflict" in Omsk and returning to the Istanbul plan are among his most direct public statements to date.
Peskov said in an interview with the Russian newspaper: "Tokayev has expressed his views on the Ukraine issue several times. His position is consistent. This does not mean that we agree with it. But Kazakhstan is our closest partner, our closest ally."
