President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the 22nd Kazakhstan-Russia Interregional Cooperation Forum in Omsk that his country will not act as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to infohub.kz.
“Kazakhstan is not an outsider, but despite all proposals and calls, I categorically refuse to be a mediator because I know that Russia is a great country, and the Russian people are a great people. As they say, without mediators, it will handle all the issues on the agenda on its own. But I decided to express my humble opinion today because people know I planned to be in Omsk and are aware of our meeting. No one knows how to resolve the situation because the parties have their positions. However, there is a possibility of freezing the entire matter. This is a situation and a tactic tested in international practice. It is a pity, of course, that young people are dying. They are the gene pool of the fraternal peoples of Russia and Ukraine. All this must be stopped because, in my firm belief, what is happening benefits and pleases the opponents of both Russia and Ukraine,” Tokayev added.
During his visit to Omsk, the president also laid flowers at a memorial plaque for Kemel Tokayev on the facade of the Omsk Hospital for War Veterans. Later, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the forum.