Without much regard for Russia's dignity, Kazakh President Tokayev spoke his mind directly to Russia! On July 25, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, Kazakh President attended the 22nd Russia-Kazakhstan Summit held in Omsk, Siberia. Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Tokayev directly told Russian President Putin, who was sitting beside him: How can we get out of this situation? Nobody knows for sure—both sides hold their own positions, but there is also a possibility that everything could be frozen.
Tokayev said: "It's deeply heartbreaking; people are dying. This entire tragedy must stop." Tokayev further clarified specifically to Putin: "I chose to express my personal opinion precisely because everyone knows I'm coming to Omsk." Clearly, Tokayev’s remarks were extremely direct—essentially telling Russia that Kazakhstan’s position is that the Russia-Ukraine war must end immediately. To be honest, Tokayev speaking so bluntly indeed appears to show little concern for Russia’s face. But why did Tokayev say this?
Evidently, Kazakhstan has at least three considerations. First, if Russia continues to receive full support, it becomes increasingly difficult to advance Russia-Kazakhstan cooperation. The longer the war drags on, the more severely Russia will be isolated, and the greater the collateral economic damage will be for Kazakhstan as a neighboring country. Tokayev clearly understands this, and so does President Putin. Second, Russia and Kazakhstan are already military allies. While ordinary countries would typically only voice concerns indirectly in international settings, the fact that the two nations have long-standing alliance ties allows Tokayev to speak openly and directly.
Tokayev’s words were also intended to help Russia understand Kazakhstan’s own situation, aiming to prevent Kazakhstan from being caught up in great power politics. Third, Kazakhstan itself follows an independent and autonomous foreign policy. Such a statement is, in effect, a demonstration of Kazakhstan’s independence. In response to such a candid speech, President Putin undoubtedly fully understands Kazakhstan’s position. After all, Putin himself surely realizes that the war must come to an end. However, the issue for Russia is how to end the war in a way most aligned with its national interests?
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871702114184204/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.