ASTANA, Jan 3, 2025 (BSS/TASS) - Russia is militarily invincible while Ukraine is trying to withstand in the armed conflict with the West's help at least 'not to lose in it,' Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in an interview with the Ana tili (Native Language) newspaper on Friday.

"The situation is unique. Russia is invincible in military terms while Ukraine hopes to withstand in the war with the help of Western allies, at least not to lose in it," the Kazakh leader said.

Astana favors talks on settling the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict but does not insist on its mediation in the process, he said.

"Since the start of the hostilities in Ukraine, Kazakhstan has been favoring the beginning of negotiations to achieve peace. I want to stress that we do not insist anywhere on our mediation and we act on the international scene pursuant to the potential and possibilities of Kazakhstan. But we are always ready to come to help settle international problems," Tokayev said.

The Kazakh leader said that he had discussed the Ukraine conflict settlement with US President-elect Donald Trump during a telephone conversation in 2024.

"During the phone talk, Donald Trump showed interest in our vision of the cessation of the hostilities in Ukraine. This theme is not new for me because many leaders of states and international organizations asked me the same question during 2024," the Kazakh president said.

Tokayev said he considered the problem "to be exceptionally complex" and its solution depended "on the will and desire of the heads of the conflicting countries and, certainly, on Trump himself as the leader of the world power.".