Kathrine Frich
He made an unexpected plea directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Diplomatic alliances often stay quiet behind closed doors until the sheer weight of a crisis forces a public break.
As bloody battles continue across Eastern Europe, even long-standing regional partners are starting to voice their deep anxiety aloud.
Now, a key partner has taken the rare step of offering direct advice in public.
Rare diplomatic push
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made an unexpected plea directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Omsk. He suggested that the time has come to halt the ongoing fighting in Ukraine.
“Perhaps it is time to freeze this conflict and return to the Istanbul 2.0 formula, as significant results were achieved there,” Tokayev told Putin, according to Daily Express.
He noted that Western nations have been sending steady messages about ending the war.
“Signals from Europe and the US about the current state of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia,” he said, adding that “young people are dying” and that the loss hurts both nations.
Staggering human cost
The appeal comes as the true price of the invasion becomes clearer. Unverified figures reported by CNN show Russia has suffered 450,000 deaths and 1.4 million casualties since 2022, representing roughly one percent of its total population.
Ukraine has also paid a painful price on the battlefield. The same reports indicate Ukrainian casualties stand between 525,000 and 625,000, including as many as 150,000 deaths.
Tokayev warned that prolonged combat only serves outside interests.
“All of this needs to be stopped because what is happening, in my firm view, benefits and pleases the adversaries of both Russia and Ukraine,” he argued.
Looking for peace
In response to the comments, Putin simply promised to keep the Kazakh leader updated regarding “developments on the Ukrainian front.”
Meanwhile, leaders in Kyiv are also reflecting on the brutal toll of the multi-year war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed a similar openness to ending the bloodshed during an interview.
“If tomorrow we can stop the war to make a ceasefire, it’s better than to fight 10-20 years for victory and lose your people,” Zelensky told political commentator Laura Loomer, according to Daily Express.
Sources: Daily Express, CNN
