Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged Vladimir Putin to freeze the Ukraine conflict and return to the Istanbul agreements during a meeting in Omsk.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told Vladimir Putin that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine should be frozen based on the "Istanbul 2.0" formula. During a televised meeting in Omsk, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that the specific nature and origins of the Russian aggression remain unclear to many observers. The Kazakh president highlighted that he has received numerous signals from Europe and the United States regarding the current state of the war. While the Kremlin intended the meeting to focus on Russia-Kazakhstan cooperation, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev used the opportunity to challenge the Russian narrative. He stated that Kazakhstan categorically refuses to act as a mediator, asserting that Russia is a great country capable of managing the situation independently. Vladimir Putin appeared caught off guard by the critique, visibly tensing as Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke. Following the exchange, Vladimir Putin promised to provide a detailed briefing on the war. The meeting occurred shortly after Vladimir Putin conducted a domestic visit to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant to inspect combat jets.