You're reading: Putin, Nazarbayev discuss Ukraine

Astana/Moscow - The presidents of Kazakhstan and Russia, Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin, discussed international affairs, including the socio-political situation in Ukraine, by telephone. 

“Nursultan Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan, as a strategic partner, understands the position assumed by Russia which is defending the interests of ethnic minorities in Ukraine, as well as its own security interests,” the Kazakh president’s press service reported on Monday.

Nazarbayev expressed the hope that all the parties concerned would demonstrate restraint and work to negotiate a normalization plan.

The Kazakh president also said that the crisis in Ukraine should be settled peacefully with Ukraine’s sovereignty preserved and in compliance with international law.

Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed to Interfax that the two presidents did hold telephone talks. “The discussion included the current situation in Ukraine,” he said.