Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a meeting on Monday to abandon the notion that Russia can be defeated militarily and to endorse China’s peace initiative for Ukraine, a proposal that Scholz declined.

This marks Scholz’s inaugural official visit to Central Asia as Germany seeks alternative energy and mineral sources following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While Kazakhstan maintains a close relationship with Russia, the Astana government has refrained from taking a definitive stance in the conflict or endorsing Moscow’s territorial claims in Ukraine. “It is a fact that Russia cannot be defeated in the military sense,” Tokayev stated to Scholz in Astana.

He further warned that “a further escalation of war will lead to irreparable consequences for the whole of humanity and above all for the countries involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.”

Scholz, however, diplomatically countered that Germany’s support for Ukraine is a response to Russia’s invasion. “That is the case and will remain so, so that the country can defend itself and protect its integrity and sovereignty,” he asserted.

He also emphasized the importance of exploring avenues for peaceful resolution. Scholz noted that the Western-supported peace conference in Switzerland should be succeeded by another that includes Russia. “It is clear to me that it will not work the way Russia is currently pushing ahead with everything, pushing ahead with the war, continuing to attack Ukraine with great aggression,” he remarked.

“This must never be overlooked in our discussions. It is Russia that initiated the war and continues it, and it could choose to end it at any moment by halting its aggression.”