<blockquote>'On a political level, Nazarbayev expressed during the meeting with his Ukrainian colleague his willingness to mediate the conflict in eastern Ukraine and said that the path of confrontation "is a road to nowhere."
"I ask Russia and Ukraine to think about finding a compromise to end the crisis and to maintain Ukraine's territorial integrity, since the situation in Donbass (eastern Ukraine) is senseless," he said.
He said Ukraine could and should restore trade relations with Russia, "its main partner," but noted that "Ukraine is close to Europe," so that signing a Pact of Association with the EU "is perfectly understandable," the exact opposite of the Kremlin's view.
..
"Nazarbayev offers to mediate. Lukashenko is already a mediator, since he offered his country's territory for the negotiations...these countries want to distance themselves from Russia in favor of neutrality," Russian political scientist Alexei Makarkin told the Interfax news agency.'
-
Top Russian Allies Distance Themselves From Putin, Support Ukraine, December 23, 2014</blockquote>
Context<blockquote>
'..an effective ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and substantial progress in recreating peace and stability in the region.'