OMSK, July 25. /TASS/. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has turned down an initiative to mediate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

"Despite all proposals and calls, I strongly refuse to be a mediator, because I know that Russia is a great country, and the people of Russia are great. So, they can deal with the matters at hand on their own," Tokayev said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Omsk.