Kazakh President Tokayev urges Putin to freeze war in Ukraine during Omsk meeting

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has urged Vladimir Putin to freeze the war in Ukraine and return to what he called an "Istanbul 2.0" format. The comments were made during a face-to-face meeting in Omsk at the Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum on Saturday. Ukraine later publicly welcomed the message, calling it realistic and timely.

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Tokayev told Putin that "perhaps it is time to freeze this conflict" and said significant results had been achieved in earlier talks in Istanbul. He said that, under guarantees from major powers including Russia, the sides could move toward what he described as long-awaited peace. Tokayev also said Kazakhstan has always respected the Ukrainian people, their language and culture, and added that the nature of the war was "not entirely clear to many, including us." He said "no one knows how to resolve this situation because both sides have their own positions" and added that "it is a shame, young people are dying." Tokayev also said he had received many signals from Europe and the United States about the conflict.

Putin listened during the exchange and later said he would keep Tokayev informed of developments on the Ukrainian front. The remarks matter because they came from the leader of a neighbouring state that has maintained working ties with both Moscow and Kyiv. Kazakhstan has often sought to balance its relations with Russia while avoiding direct alignment on the war, making Tokayev's public call notable in diplomatic terms.

His reference to an "Istanbul 2.0" format also points back to earlier negotiations that have remained a reference point in discussions about a possible ceasefire or political settlement. Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, responded on social media by saying his country appreciated Tokayev's message. He described it as a realistic, timely and wise call to stop the war.

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Sybiha added that Ukraine has proposed stopping the fighting along current front lines and turning to diplomacy, but said the Kremlin continues to reject that path. The Kremlin later rejected Tokayev's proposal to freeze the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tokayev had repeatedly spoken about Ukraine and that Kazakhstan remained Russia's closest partner and ally, but added that Moscow did not agree with the suggestion.

What remains unclear is whether Tokayev's intervention will influence any future diplomatic contacts, or whether it will remain a symbolic public appeal. The next point to watch is whether Moscow or Kyiv refer to the Omsk exchange in any further statements or negotiations.

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