Ankara: Ukraine on Sunday welcomed Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's call to "freeze" the war Russia launched in 2022, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha describing the suggestion as "realistic, timely, and wise."

According to Anadolu Agency, Sybiha expressed appreciation for President Tokayev's message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to stop the conflict. Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine is advocating for a halt in fighting along the current front lines, pushing for diplomatic solutions, although the Kremlin has dismissed this approach.

Sybiha noted that Putin's spokesman rejected the Kazakh President's proposal, indicating that Moscow needs to feel more pressure to accept realistic peace proposals. The talks between Putin and Tokayev took place on Saturday in Omsk, Russia, where Tokayev suggested returning to the 'Istanbul Formula 2.0,' which had previously yielded significant results.

Tokayev proposed that under the guarantees of major powers, including Russia, the path to peace could be pursued. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov labeled Tokayev's proposal as 'impossible' due to Kyiv's stance.

Peskov reiterated Russia's conditions for ending hostilities, which include Ukraine's withdrawal from the Donbas region and forgoing plans to join NATO, stating that the war could end 'by the end of the day' if these demands are met.