Kazakhstan will "definitely comply" with the sanctions regime against Russia, the country's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a press briefing on Sept. 28 after talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Tokayev also urged a swift end to "hostilities in Ukraine" and peace talks in accordance with the U.N. Charter.

"We need to stop mutual accusations and negotiate to find options that will suit both sides," he said, adding that it is time for "wise and rational diplomacy."

Tokayev had arrived in Germany earlier today to hold talks with Scholz and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

After his meeting with Scholz, Tokayev added that Kazakhstan is ready to increase oil supplies to Germany "and make them long-term."

Russia has been using third-party countries to circumvent sanctions applied against it by the Western nations in response to Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Some countries have been re-exporting sanctioned goods from the West to Russia, namely dual-use technologies that Moscow utilizes for weapons production.

The EU said it is leading active talks with such third-party states to prevent circumvention of sanctions. However, the European Commission also threatened to ban the sales of certain products to these countries if diplomatic efforts prove insufficient.

Ukraine imposes sanctions on petty pro-Russian politicians, yet ignores most high-profile ones

Editor’s Note: This story is the result of an investigation by StateWatch, a Ukrainian expert organization advocating for the principles of good governance, into how Ukraine imposes sanctions against high-profile pro-Russian individuals, many of whom are under sanctions in the U.S., UK or EU. The au…

The Kyiv IndependentGlib Kanievskyi