Throughout the Ukraine war, Kazakhstan has actually strolled a fragile line.
The ex-Soviet Central Asian country has actually stopped short of outrightly criticising Russia, its standard ally, and frequently required peace.
It has actually mainly chosen to stay away, instead of side with Russia, in United Nations votes on the war.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has actually preserved contact with not just Russian President Vladimir Putin, however likewise his Ukrainian and Western equivalents. He has actually offered shelter for Russians getting away mobilisation and declined to acknowledge occupied Ukrainian lands as Russian area.
And in a number of Ukrainian cities, “invincibility” yurts established by Kazakhs are effective signs of humanitarian assistance. The camping tents use totally free Kazakh food, tea, and centers to charge electronic gadgets.
As the war grinds on, authorities state they are open to handling a moderating function, and will host the Astana International Forum in June, when worldwide security will be on the program.
At the very same time, Russia is still Kazakhstan’s greatest trading partner and the 2 nations share one of the world’s longest borders. It has actually likewise been implicated of assisting Russia prevent penalizing Western sanctions, claims that have actually triggered brand-new steps targeted at openness.
Al Jazeera talks with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko on Russia, Ukraine, and the possibilities for peace.
Al Jazeera: Russia’s war in Ukraine has actually dragged out for more than a year. Countless individuals have actually been eliminated. Today, Save the Children revealed another grim turning point– that the kids’s death toll has actually passed 500. At this phase, how do you characterise the Russian intrusion?
Roman Vassilenko: We are extremely worried about this war. It is a dispute in between 2 nations that are close to Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan preserves relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and shares the world’s longest constant border with Russia of 7,500 km (4,660 miles). Likewise, Kazakhstan preserves really close financial ties with Ukraine.
And there are countless individual ties, due to the fact that in Kazakhstan, out of 20 million individuals, we have 3.5 million ethnic Russians who are Kazakhstan residents. And there are 250,000 Ukrainians in Kazakhstan, likewise Kazakhstan residents.
There depend on one million ethnic Kazakh who are Russian residents.
For us, it’s not a far war. It’s really, really awful and uncomfortable. Therefore that’s why Kazakhstan, from the extremely first days, made itself offered as an arbitrator.
We represent the territorial stability of all states, consisting of Ukraine, based upon the UN Charter. We have actually not acknowledged the [September 2022 Russia-led annexation] votes in [four] southeastern areas of Ukraine, nor have we identified their addition to the Russian Federation. We acknowledge them as Ukrainian.
Al Jazeera: You have a deep history, long border, and strong financial and cultural ties with Russia. Can you put in more affect to stop the war?
Vassilenko: We can just utilize diplomatic techniques and we can just utilize the power of persuasion. As a neighbour of Russia and as a nation that continues to keep ties with Russia, we constantly, naturally, repeat this position and we hope that this position will be heard.
Al Jazeera: Do you believe the intrusion was at all warranted?
Vassilenko: We have actually not openly mentioned our position on the reason of the war or not. What we have actually openly specified is that we desire this dispute to end as quickly as possible.
Kazakhstan has actually supplied humanitarian support to Ukraine. Our individuals have actually supplied humanitarian help to the Ukrainian individuals. Invincibility yurts have actually been established in different cities in Ukraine by Kazakhstan.
That informs you about society’s mindset to this dispute. We wish to do our part. We desire it to end as quickly as possible. It is really, really, really agonizing to see.
Al Jazeera: Does Kazakhstan’s variety posture any domestic difficulties, in regards to how the war is seen?
Vassilenko: We have more than 120 ethnic groups. Many individuals in Kazakhstan have actually understood what a valuable peace and consistency we have here in our society– and just how much more effort we require to preserve this, and avoid possible disputes based upon ethnic background or religious beliefs.
Al Jazeera: But some Kazakh nationals have actually supposedly gone to defend Ukraine …
Vassilenko:I’ve become aware of some particular stories … What I would state is that under our law, battling in foreign wars is unlawful.
These individuals, if they choose to do that, they undergo prosecution and the penalty is rather extreme– so we do not motivate mercenaries.
Al Jazeera: Since the war started, observers have actually stated that Kazakhstan is attempting to vacate Russia’s sphere of impact, possibly afraid that a person day, it might be in Ukraine’s position …
Vassilenko: Kazakhstan lies in the heart of Eurasia. And being the biggest landlocked nation, [it] has actually pursued what has actually become referred to as a multivector diplomacy, suggesting we construct regular excellent relations with Russia, with China, with the West.
These are relationships based upon shared regard.
In the previous year, we have actually understood possibly ever so plainly that this is the best diplomacy for Kazakhstan, since while it is the ninth biggest nation worldwide, it likewise surrounds 2 of the world’s biggest countries by size, Russia, and by population, China.
Kazakhstan wishes to construct its regular relations with all its neighbours.
It remains in our DNA to look for serene resolution of disputes. We took apart the world’s fourth-largest nuclear toolbox, which we acquired when the Soviet Union collapsed. We comprehend that diplomacy is the very best method to safeguard our nationwide interests.
We will continue to remain real to this concept and we will continue to provide it highly to Russia, to China, and to the West. Kazakhstan is not in favour of any terrific video games once again in the 21st century.
Al Jazeera: There are issues, however, that Kazakhstan is assisting Russia to prevent Western sanctions. Kazakh exports to Russia, in the previous year, for example, have actually increased …
Vassilenko: Kazakhstan becomes part of the Eurasian Economic Union with Russia. There are no custom-mades manages on the border in between Kazakhstan and Russia– and there are 51 border crossings in between our nations. You can envision the strength of exchange on an everyday basis.
From the very first day of the dispute, we stated that while we are not enforcing sanctions on Russia, we will likewise not enable our area to be utilized for the circumvention of sanctions.
[As well as from Europe, we receive] higher-end items, consisting of cleaning makers and refrigerators and iPhones, likewise from nations that do not enforce any sanctions on Russia, such as China, India, Vietnam. And it is those items that do discover their method to Russia due to the fact that businesspeople in Kazakhstan, they see no legal concerns with this.
We chose to present as of April 1 an electronic tracking system for products exported in the Eurasian Economic Union– so that we can track these products.
Al Jazeera: By keeping track of exports, what do you wish to attain with the information?
Vassilenko: We have really clear standards for business in regards to what is possible to export to Russia and what is not suggested to be exported to Russia, provided the situations.
Al Jazeera: You’ve discussed Kazakhstan’s ties with Western countries. Do you believe the West has any misconceptions about the Central Asian area?
Vassilenko: No, I believe the West comprehends Central Asia effectively, and I believe they comprehend the circumstance in Russia and Ukraine effectively.
Our message is please continue to be understanding of the precariousness and fragile nature of our position, due to the fact that we are undoubtedly in this area.
The area is now surrounded by the most approved nations on the planet– regrettably for us and for our trade.
We do not have it simple here. We require assistance likewise for financial advancement. We are devoted to constructing democracy. Democracy is not integrated in the breeze of the fingers. We require to be client. We are moving towards the extremely high perfects of democracy– participatory democracy. We require assistance along in this manner.
Al Jazeera: After the Russia-Ukraine war ends, what lessons will the world be entrusted to?
Vassilenko: We will need to, if not transform the UN, in some way enhance the UN and enhance the worldwide system.
[This war] makes it apparent that the world does not have a fallback. This is our world. We require to actually deal with the most important problems that face our world. It is not the time to solve distinctions through war.
Editor’s note: This interview was gently modified for clearness and brevity.