Kazakhstan’s Tokayev praises Putin as ‘outstanding statesman’ before Germany’s Merz

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev praised Vladimir Putin as an “outstanding statesman” and said he viewed him as the “most acceptable political figure” for Central Asia, Europe and the wider world. At the same Berlin appearance, however, Tokayev called for a freeze in fighting in Ukraine to enable diplomacy; German Chancellor Friedrich Merz responded that Russia is not currently interested in serious negotiations and vowed sustained support for Kyiv.