Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to freeze the war in Ukraine and resume negotiations under the “Istanbul 2.0” framework.
Tokayev made the remarks during a meeting with Putin at the 22nd Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum in Omsk on Saturday, July 25, according to Russian state news agency Interfax.
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“Maybe this conflict should already be frozen and we should return to the Istanbul 2.0 formula, as significant results were achieved there. Naturally, under the guarantees of the great powers, including Russia, and to move further toward a long-awaited peace,” Tokayev said during the meeting.
Tokayev stated that the nature of the conflict is not entirely clear to many, including Kazakhstan. He contrasted it with the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which he described as having clear historical roots, arguing that the current war is much harder to understand.
“All this needs to be stopped, the opposite plays into the hands of the opponents of the Russian Federation,” the Kazakh president stated.
During the exchange, Tokayev also praised Putin for demonstrating “political flexibility” during the August 2025 summit with US President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska. Putin responded that he would brief Tokayev on the situation regarding Ukraine.
Tokayev’s reference to the Anchorage talks follows recent statements by the US government rejecting the Russian narrative surrounding the summit.
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On July 23, following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Russian “proposals” discussed at the Anchorage Summit had failed because they were unacceptable to Ukraine. Rubio specifically cited proposals involving territorial concessions, which the Kremlin refers to as the “spirit of Anchorage.”
“Proposals that have been reported – they call it ‘3 + 2’, the trading of territory – those failed,” Rubio told reporters. “You can’t have a peace deal unless both sides agree to it, and the Ukrainians would not agree to it.”
Fuel export restrictions amid Russian shortages
The diplomatic meeting in Omsk occurred as Kazakhstan implemented strict border controls to curb the illicit export of fuel to Russia.
Kazakhstan has restricted the entry of passenger and cargo vehicles from neighboring countries to once a day. The measure is designed to address a surge in demand from Russian citizens seeking cheaper gasoline amid an ongoing domestic fuel crisis in Russia.
Kazakh Deputy Energy Minister Kayirkhan Tutkyshbayev cited a sharp increase in fuel demand in regions bordering Russia, including West Kazakhstan, Aktobe, and Pavlodar, leading to shortages at local gas stations.
“The main work is now underway to identify cars with additional fuel tanks that are used for the ‘gray’ export of fuel,” Tutkyshbayev said.
Drivers from multiple Russian border regions have crossed into Kazakhstan to purchase fuel. In the Kazakh city of Uralsk, roughly 200 kilometers from the Russian city of Samara, AI-95 gasoline costs an average of 45 rubles ($0.59) per liter, compared to approximately 74 rubles ($0.96) in Russia.
Prices at some gas stations in Russia have reportedly climbed above 100 rubles ($1.30) per liter.
Kazakh authorities reported stopping 61 attempts to export more than three tons of fuel in additional canisters and tanks over a two-day period at border checkpoints.
The fuel shortages in Russia follow an intensified campaign of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian oil and energy infrastructure, which has reduced Moscow’s refinery output. In response, Russia implemented a temporary ban on diesel exports, effective until July 31, to stabilize domestic supplies.
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