Kazakh President Tokayev Calls on Russia to Freeze Ukraine War at Omsk Forum

Kazakh President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russia‑Kazakhstan Forum of Inter‑regional Cooperation in Omsk on July 24‑25, 2026. Speaking alongside Putin, Tokayev urged Russia to “freeze” the conflict in Ukraine and return to the diplomatic formula discussed in Istanbul in 2022, saying the fighting benefits the adversaries of both nations. He declined to act as a mediator, emphasizing Kazakhstan’s strong strategic and allied relationship with Russia.

On the same day, Putin signed two executive orders to begin talks with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan aimed at updating existing military‑technical cooperation agreements. While the orders were not directly linked to Tokayev’s remarks, the parallel developments highlight the multifaceted ties between Russia and the Central Asian states amid the ongoing Ukraine war.