Kazakhstan’s overseas ministry stated Thursday it summoned Russia’s ambassador to the Central Asian nation for a “severe speak” following Moscow’s calls for to expel the nation’s Ukraine envoy.
Relations between Russia and Kazakhstan have been strained since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, with Astana in search of to steadiness ties with each the West and ally Moscow.
Kazakh chief Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has publicly disagreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine.
He additionally assured the security of hundreds of Russians fleeing to Kazakhstan after the announcement of Moscow’s navy call-up.
Learn extra: A take a look at Russia’s losses in Ukraine amid annexation boast
“The ambassador was summoned to the overseas ministry for a severe speak. We mentioned the assertion of Russian overseas ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, which doesn’t correspond with the spirit of equal strategic partnership,” Kazakhstan’s overseas ministry stated in a press release.
“It was a reasonably robust dialog,” the ministry added.
Earlier this week, Zakharova stated Kazakhstan didn’t honour its promise to expel Ukraine’s ambassador to Kazakhstan Petro Vrublevsky, who in an interview made feedback about “killing” Russians.
He later issued an apology.
Zakharova stated in a press release on Tuesday that Kazakhstan “promised Vrublevsky would depart Kazakhstan irrevocably within the shortest potential time”.
She added that, to Moscow’s “deepest remorse”, Vrublevsky “reappeared within the capital of Kazakhstan” and “clearly not with a view to simply pack up and take his household residence”.
The overseas ministry stated in a press release Wednesday that Zakharova’s remarks have been “discordant with the character of allied relations between Kazakhstan and Russia”.
It added that Astana communicated the “unacceptability” of Vrublevsky’s assertion to Ukraine and an settlement has been reached for his recall by Kyiv.