Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the nature of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is "not entirely clear to many people," comparing it with the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, whose historical origins, he said, were much easier to understand.

Axar.az reports that Tokayev made the remarks during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Omsk.

"The nature of this conflict is not entirely clear to many people, including us. For example, the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the frozen conflict, had completely clear origins and historical roots. But this one is much more difficult to understand," Tokayev said.

The Kazakh president also described the situation as an interstate conflict rather than a civil war, stressing Kazakhstan's respect for the Ukrainian people, their culture, and their language.

Addressing Putin, Tokayev further suggested that the conflict could be "frozen" and that the parties should return to the "Istanbul Formula 2.0." He noted that previous negotiations in Istanbul had produced significant progress and said further advances could be achieved with guarantees from major powers, including Russia.