ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s position has remained consistent in its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and its advocacy for a diplomatic, not military, resolution, said Victor Mayko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, during a press briefing on Feb. 25 at his residence. At the event, Mayko outlined Kyiv’s stance on the Ukraine–Russia conflict and highlighted Kazakhstan’s humanitarian and diplomatic cooperation with Ukraine.
Photo credit: gov.kz
This year marks four years since the start of the conflict. Mayko reiterated that since 2022, Kazakhstan has consistently supported efforts aimed at a diplomatic resolution and the preservation of dialogue channels with all sides.
Victor Mayko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, noted that humanitarian aid has been provided since the start of the war in 2022 by both the Kazakh government and ordinary citizens. Photo credit: The Astana Times
He noted that humanitarian aid was provided from the very beginning of the war in 2022 by both the Kazakh government and, importantly, ordinary citizens. He also mentioned members of the Kazakh diaspora who, despite being caught in Kyiv during the early days of the conflict, organized the “Yurts of Invincibility” — an initiative to assist residents during power outages. The yurts functioned as warming centers where people could warm up, charge their phones, drink tea, and try traditional baursaks.
“We remember it and deeply appreciate this support,” he said.
Mayko also thanked Kazakhstan for organizing rehabilitation trips for Ukrainian children who had been living on the front lines.
“Our embassy here, Kazakhstan’s embassy in Ukraine, local administrations, and the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the approval of the country’s leadership, made it possible to bring a group of children for rehabilitation. Last year, 44 people from the Cherkasy region stayed at a camp near Astana. More recently, on Feb. 5, a group of children from the Sumy region departed for Kazakhstan. They spent three weeks in Aktau, in the Caspian region,” he said.
In total, according to Mayko, nearly 30 children were hosted and cared for. Businesses, the embassy, the diaspora, and the local administration of the Mangystau Region all contributed. After returning home, the children shared a video expressing their gratitude to Kazakhstan for its hospitality and for the thoughtfully prepared program.
Reciprocal compromises and security guarantees
However, the conflict remains ongoing, with limited progress in negotiations that resumed under the United States President Donald Trump. Discussing Ukraine’s negotiating position, Mayko emphasized that the country is ready to make compromises, but only those that are reciprocal and comparable to concessions Russia will make.
“President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated this clearly: if we are asked to withdraw our troops 40 kilometers along the entire line of contact, we are prepared to do so provided that Russia withdraws its forces the same 40 kilometers. This could involve the creation of a genuinely demilitarized zone that would ensure hostilities do not resume,” he explained.
But that alone is not enough, Mayko reiterated.
“Ukraine needs clear, long-term security guarantees. Peace at any cost serves no one. Ukraine does not need a peace that lasts a month, six months, or a year, only for Russia to regroup and launch another offensive. Such a “peace” would merely postpone the next war,” he said.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, and as quoted by Mayko, the losses have been severe. Ukrainian forces are estimated to have suffered between 500,000 and 600,000 casualties, including killed, wounded, and missing, with fatalities ranging between 100,000 and 140,000 from February 2022 to December 2025. Combined Russian and Ukrainian casualties may be as high as 1.8 million and could reach 2 million by spring 2026. Western partners, along with Ukraine and Russia, continue diplomatic contacts. U.S. officials have suggested that a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents could be possible following talks held in Abu Dhabi in January.
Mayko stressed that Kazakhstan has maintained a clear position from the outset regarding Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He recalled that Astana publicly articulated its stance in 2022 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, when President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic would not be recognized, as such recognition would contradict international law and the principle of territorial integrity.
“Kazakhstan has not supported UN resolutions that cast doubt on Ukraine’s territorial integrity. At all international platforms, it has consistently emphasized that the conflict must be resolved exclusively through diplomatic means. This position has remained unchanged throughout these years,” Mayko said.
The ambassador also noted that Kazakhstan does not claim the role of mediator.
“The President of Kazakhstan has clearly stated that the country is ready to provide a platform for negotiations if the parties are prepared. That is a fundamental distinction: not mediation, but a neutral venue for dialogue,” he said.
Rebuilding dialogue and economic ties
Mayko said contacts between the two countries are gradually being restored. After a prolonged pause, the presidents met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last fall. This was followed by consultations among foreign ministers. Dialogue, he noted, is returning — cautiously but steadily.
“We are interested in restoring full-fledged political communication: at the level of presidents, foreign ministers, prime ministers, and parliamentary friendship groups. It is equally important for businesses to operate and for trade and economic ties to develop,” he said.
Since beginning his tenure as ambassador to Kazakhstan last August, Mayko has visited several regions and said he was pleasantly surprised to see Ukrainians working in Kazakhstan, including in senior positions in industry and manufacturing. Still, he stressed that this is not the ultimate objective.
“On the one hand, we would like to see cooperation not merely at the level of individuals who come to take up positions, but at the level of intergovernmental relations, across sectors, between companies and enterprises, scaled and institutionalized. That is the goal, and we are working toward it,” he said.
Mayko added that both countries must look beyond the war, which will eventually end, and consider future opportunities for partnership in areas such as uranium, oil processing, and information technology.
“Let me reiterate: the Ambassador of Kazakhstan in Ukraine Tolezhan Barlybayev is active and highly professional. We share the same vision and are doing everything possible. Of course, as long as the war continues, logistics remain complex and costly. Restoring trade is difficult because transporting goods, including Kazakh products to Ukraine, is expensive. Trade continues, but on a limited scale,” he said.
Mayko expressed hope that «when the war ends, these ties will recover.»
“In the future, we expect a substantial group of Kazakh enterprises to participate in Ukraine’s reconstruction. Significant funding will be mobilized. Various figures are being mentioned, $600–700 billion, even up to a trillion dollars. In reality, the final amount may prove even higher once full assessments begin,” he concluded.
