Speaking Alongside Putin, Kazakhstan President Calls for Freeze of Ukraine War

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Saturday that a Ukraine peace agreement might be possible if both sides freeze the conflict and restart negotiations. Speaking alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Russia-Kazakhstan forum in Omsk, Tokayev suggested it was time to “freeze this conflict” and return to an “Istanbul formula 2.0.” He praised Putin’s “utmost diplomatic flexibility” and argued that peace requires security guarantees from major powers, including Russia, and that the war must be brought to an end.