01:41Mandatory credit: Kazakh President's press office
Kazakhstan's presidential press service said that President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev called Russia militarily 'invincible' during a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Astana on Monday.
"In military terms, Russia is invincible. Further escalation of the war will lead to irreparable consequences for all mankind and, above all, for all countries directly involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict," the press service cited the president.
Tokayev also claimed the chance for a truce was 'lost' in the rejection of the Istanbul agreements, yet stressed that there are 'other possibilities' to end the conflict.
"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. In our opinion, the peace plan of China and Brazil deserves support," the president added.
Scholz arrived in Astana on Monday at the invitation of Tokayev. In addition to talks with the Kazakh leader, the chancellor will take part in the second Central Asia - Germany Summit.
After the start of Russia's military offensive in Ukraine from February to May 2022, Moscow and Kiev held several rounds of peace talks in Belarus, Turkey and via videoconference, but failed to reach an agreement. In late 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree stating that he could not hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On 15 November that year, the Ukrainian leader presented a 'peace formula'. Moscow called Kiev's demands 'unrealistic and inadequate'.
The People's Republic of China then proposed a peace plan that included a ceasefire and the rejection of unilateral sanctions. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa followed with the African Union's peace initiative.
In summer, Russian President Vladimir Putin named the conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine: "neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear status of the country, its demilitarisation and denazification", ensuring the rights, freedoms and interests of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine, recognition of the status of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as constituent entities of the Russian Federation, as well as the lifting of all sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Putin's initiative an 'ultimatum' that does not involve 'freezing the conflict'.
In July, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attempted to present a peace plan and held talks with heads of state in Kiev, Moscow and Beijing. In turn, China, Brazil and South Africa on 3 September again called on both sides to hold talks, as well as not to expand the battlefield, not to escalate hostilities and not to allow provocations.
Moscow launched a military offensive in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the US and EU imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
'Russia is invincible in military terms' - Kazakh president Tokayev at meeting with Scholz
Kazakhstan's presidential press service said that President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev called Russia militarily 'invincible' during a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Astana on Monday.
"In military terms, Russia is invincible. Further escalation of the war will lead to irreparable consequences for all mankind and, above all, for all countries directly involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict," the press service cited the president.
Tokayev also claimed the chance for a truce was 'lost' in the rejection of the Istanbul agreements, yet stressed that there are 'other possibilities' to end the conflict.
"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. In our opinion, the peace plan of China and Brazil deserves support," the president added.
Scholz arrived in Astana on Monday at the invitation of Tokayev. In addition to talks with the Kazakh leader, the chancellor will take part in the second Central Asia - Germany Summit.
After the start of Russia's military offensive in Ukraine from February to May 2022, Moscow and Kiev held several rounds of peace talks in Belarus, Turkey and via videoconference, but failed to reach an agreement. In late 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree stating that he could not hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On 15 November that year, the Ukrainian leader presented a 'peace formula'. Moscow called Kiev's demands 'unrealistic and inadequate'.
The People's Republic of China then proposed a peace plan that included a ceasefire and the rejection of unilateral sanctions. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa followed with the African Union's peace initiative.
In summer, Russian President Vladimir Putin named the conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine: "neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear status of the country, its demilitarisation and denazification", ensuring the rights, freedoms and interests of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine, recognition of the status of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as constituent entities of the Russian Federation, as well as the lifting of all sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Putin's initiative an 'ultimatum' that does not involve 'freezing the conflict'.
In July, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attempted to present a peace plan and held talks with heads of state in Kiev, Moscow and Beijing. In turn, China, Brazil and South Africa on 3 September again called on both sides to hold talks, as well as not to expand the battlefield, not to escalate hostilities and not to allow provocations.
Moscow launched a military offensive in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the US and EU imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Mandatory credit: Kazakh President's press office
Kazakhstan's presidential press service said that President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev called Russia militarily 'invincible' during a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Astana on Monday.
"In military terms, Russia is invincible. Further escalation of the war will lead to irreparable consequences for all mankind and, above all, for all countries directly involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict," the press service cited the president.
Tokayev also claimed the chance for a truce was 'lost' in the rejection of the Istanbul agreements, yet stressed that there are 'other possibilities' to end the conflict.
"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. In our opinion, the peace plan of China and Brazil deserves support," the president added.
Scholz arrived in Astana on Monday at the invitation of Tokayev. In addition to talks with the Kazakh leader, the chancellor will take part in the second Central Asia - Germany Summit.
After the start of Russia's military offensive in Ukraine from February to May 2022, Moscow and Kiev held several rounds of peace talks in Belarus, Turkey and via videoconference, but failed to reach an agreement. In late 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree stating that he could not hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On 15 November that year, the Ukrainian leader presented a 'peace formula'. Moscow called Kiev's demands 'unrealistic and inadequate'.
The People's Republic of China then proposed a peace plan that included a ceasefire and the rejection of unilateral sanctions. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa followed with the African Union's peace initiative.
In summer, Russian President Vladimir Putin named the conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine: "neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear status of the country, its demilitarisation and denazification", ensuring the rights, freedoms and interests of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine, recognition of the status of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as constituent entities of the Russian Federation, as well as the lifting of all sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Putin's initiative an 'ultimatum' that does not involve 'freezing the conflict'.
In July, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attempted to present a peace plan and held talks with heads of state in Kiev, Moscow and Beijing. In turn, China, Brazil and South Africa on 3 September again called on both sides to hold talks, as well as not to expand the battlefield, not to escalate hostilities and not to allow provocations.
Moscow launched a military offensive in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the US and EU imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.