Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen asked Kazakhstan, a close ally of Russia, on Friday to use its diplomatic ties with the Kremlin to reach a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine.
“I ask Kazakhstan to use its diplomatic ties with Moscow to reach an agreement on a ceasefire in Ukraine and achieve peace,” the head of Danish diplomacy said at a press conference in Astana after meeting with his Kazakh counterpart, Mukhtar Tileuberdi.
The foreign minister said that during talks with Tileuberdi, they discussed the situation surrounding the Ukrainian conflict and its impact on international trade.
“Europe is concerned about this situation. We are in favor of peace, and our countries are committed to the development of Ukraine,” he stated.
Rasmussen highlighted the role of Western sanctions imposed on Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine. He also pointed out that “they are a key factor containing the flow of goods through Russia due to its aggression” against its neighbor.
Tokayev’s call for cessation of hostilities
In late July, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine and a freezing of the conflict. He described it as necessary to “move toward a long-awaited peace”—a stance he reiterated this week during his trip to Berlin.
Rasmussen welcomed Kazakhstan’s efforts to facilitate trade between Europe and Asia, particularly through the development of the Caspian Transport Route.
Both ministers analyzed prospects for cooperation with Danish shipping giant Maersk to increase freight transit along the Middle Corridor, another major trade route connecting Europe and Asia.
“Denmark is an important partner in Northern Europe. We attach great importance to developing bilateral relations and strive to ensure that our economic and trade cooperation is backed by concrete and significant projects,” the Kazakh minister stated.
According to Kazakh diplomatic data, bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and Denmark reached $163 million in 2025, while total Danish foreign direct investment in the Kazakh economy over the last twenty years amounted to $394 million.
Among key joint projects is the construction of a PepsiCo beverage facility in the Almaty region by the Danish Carlsberg Group, involving a $344 million investment to produce 1 billion liters of beverages annually.
Rasmussen emphasized his country’s interest in further expanding cooperation with Kazakhstan and welcomed Denmark’s growing engagement with the Central Asian region.
The two parties signed memorandums of understanding establishing a bilateral commission on trade, economic cooperation, and investment. EFE