Kazakh President Tokayev to Putin on the Russia–Ukraine war: Young people are dying. This is the gene pool of the brotherly peoples of Russia and Ukraine. And all this must be stopped, because what is happening, in my convinced view, plays into the hands and brings joy to the enemies of both Russia and the Ukrainian state. As for Kazakhstan's position regarding Russia, do not doubt—we have always considered and consider Russia a great state, as I have already said. We are committed to strategic cooperation with Russia and to allied relations, however difficult it may be.