Tokayev's maneuver: how not to quarrel with anyone Putin, with no Trump, not with Zelensky

During the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Omsk, his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had to make an impossible diplomatic maneuver: to say something acceptable to Russia, the United States and Ukraine. This was stated by political analyst Alexei Pilko, commenting on Tokayev's proposal to Putin to freeze the Ukrainian conflict and return to the "Istanbul Formula 2.0".

"A curtsy to Moscow is a call to return to the principles of Istanbul (they provide for the neutral status of Ukraine and its partial demilitarization). A thesis was sent to Washington that a "freeze" of the conflict along the front line is needed. In the direction of Kiev — a statement about a lack of understanding of the essence of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict," Pilko said.

At the same time, according to the expert, there is no need to look for any deep idea in Tokayev's maneuver.

"It's just that as the head of Kazakhstan, which is absolutely natural, he doesn't want ships with Kazakh oil fired at in the Black Sea. And that's why he wants to show Zelensky that he is against the war, to convince Trump of the acceptability of his "freeze" formula, but with Putin does not spoil the relationship at all. To get involved in a military conflict between Russia and He does not want Ukraine for obvious reasons," Pilko explained.

According to the political scientist, the Tokayev did it.

"His statements are quite cautious. However, they will not change the Ukrainian position, since the drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue to strike tankers departing from the oil terminals of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Simply because the streamlined statements of the Kazakh president are clearly not enough for Zelensky. Because he needs a complete break between Kazakhstan and Russia, and Tokayev cannot afford this. Recently, Alexander Lukashenko got into the same blackmail of Kiev, but having enlisted the support of Russia and China, he fought back. Tokayev's statements will not impress Trump either, although Chevron, suffering from Ukrainian strikes, will try to do something. The owner of the White House is now busy with a completely different issue — clearing up the mess that he himself brewed in the Middle East. And, of course, Putin will also not be thrilled with the "freeze" formula after all the events that have recently unfolded in the framework of the conflict on the Ukraine. So Tokayev's statements will not lead to any consequences. And they were made exclusively for formal diplomatic purposes," Pilko concluded.