Kazakhstan’s president declares Russia 'invincible'

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday that Russia was militarily "invincible" and urged the West to study peace plans aimed at ending the Ukraine conflict.

Scholz arrived in Central Asia on Sunday, embarking on a three-day trip aimed at forging closer ties with the strategically important region.

"It is a fact that Russia is militarily invincible," Tokayev was quoted by his press service as saying.

He made the comment during discussions with the German leader that touched on Russia's war in Ukraine.

"Further escalation of the war will lead to irreparable consequences for the whole of humanity and, above all, for all the countries directly involved in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict," he said.

"It is necessary to carefully consider all the peace initiatives of various states and come to a decision to stop hostilities and then move on to discussing territorial issues," he added, mentioning China and Brazil's peace efforts.

Ex-Soviet Kazakhstan has refused to condone Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has ruled out recognising Moscow's claim to have annexed four Ukrainian regions in September 2022.

Several European leaders have visited Central Asia in recent months, including French President Emmanuel Macron.

The region's five states are rich in natural resources and have taken on increasing political weight as European countries and China look for sources of energy and raw materials.