ANKARA 

Kazakhstan will not act as a tool to circumvent US and EU sanctions against Russia, a top Kazakh official said Friday.

"We will abide by the sanctions. Although we are part of the Eurasian Economic Union which includes Russia, Belarus and other countries, we are also part of the international community," First Deputy Chief of Staff of the President of Kazakhstan Timur Suleimenov was quoted by Ukraine’s state news agency Ukrinform.

He spoke to European reporters during his visit to Brussels and said that Kazakhstan will have to continue bilateral cooperation with Russia for economic interests.

“However, Kazakhstan would do its best to control any investment from a sanctioned person or entity in the country,” said Suleimenov.

He also noted that Kazakhstan is offering assistance to European companies that want to continue to legally sell goods to Russia.

“European companies are leaving Russia either due to sanctions or due to pressure from the public, from shareholders and ethical reasons. They want to be somewhere in the neighbourhood, and we would like to be that neighbour,” Suleimenov added.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which started Feb. 24, has been met with international outrage, with the European Union, US and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,232 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 1,935 injured, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be far higher.

More than 4 million Ukrainians have also fled to other countries, with millions more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.