Escalating war with Russia ‘will lead to irreparable consequences for the whole of humanity and especially countries directly involved’, Germany’s chancellor is warned

Germany chancellor Olaf Scholz was warned that escalating conflict with Russia would lead to ‘irreparable consequences for the whole of humanity and especially countries directly involved’ by a Putin-allied world leader. 

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told the German leader as he visited Uzbekistan as part of a three-day tour across Central Asia today that Russia was ‘militarily invincible’, adding: 

‘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.

‘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,’ Tokayev added, citing 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.

A warship launches a missile during the joint strategic command and staff exercise ‘Ocean 2024’ involving the Russian Navy and the Chinese Navy in the Sea of Japan, in this still image taken from video released September 16, 2024

Though the nation has officially maintained a relatively neutral position towards the war, and no longer considers Russia as a security guarantor, it still maintains a close relationship with the Kremlin. 

The Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) intervened in 2022 to foil an attempted coup against Tokayev, indebting the leader to Putin and his allies. 

Kazakhstan’s trade with Russia also increased in the years following the invasion of Ukraine, with more than $50billion (£38billion) being traded between the two nations, according to Chatham House. 

The thinktank added that nearly half of all foreign companies registered in Kazakhstan are now Russian, highlighting the deep economic link between the two nations.  

Scholz said on his central Asian tour that he was interested in ‘utilising and developing’ Uzbekistan’s vast natural resources.

Germany and other EU countries have sought to deepen ties with Central Asia in recent years, looking to the region for their energy needs as they cut links with Russia over the Ukraine war.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pose for a photo during their meeting

Scholz said on his central Asian tour that he was interested in ‘utilising and developing’ Uzbekistan’s vast natural resources

‘We want to jointly utilise and develop the potential of the raw materials that are located here for the benefit of the economies of both countries,’ Scholz told Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at a roundtable of business leaders in the Uzbek city of Samarkand.

‘It is impressive how strongly the economy is developing and how modernisation is progressing,’ Scholz said.

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.