Putin: Russia "carefully" examines African proposals to end conflict in Ukraine

In a meeting during the second day of the Russian-African Summit in Saint Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin of Russia stated on Friday that Moscow is carefully considering the proposals put forward by some African leaders to end the conflict in Ukraine.

Speaking before a gathering of senior African officials, Putin said, "Let's take, for example, the initiative of a group of African countries to resolve the Ukrainian crisis. It is a serious problem that we cannot overlook."

He added, "This means a lot, as in the past, mediation efforts were exclusive to democratically advanced nations. But today, Africa is also ready to assist in resolving issues that may seem beyond its primary interests."

Putin assured the African leaders, "We respect your initiatives and are studying them carefully."

The Russian-African Summit comes more than a week after the effects of the grain agreement came to an end. The agreement had allowed the export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea despite the ongoing conflict with Russia, which raised concerns among African countries.

African leaders have sought to mediate and find a solution to the conflict. In mid-June, a delegation comprising several African leaders visited Moscow and Kyiv, and during separate meetings with Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, they called for an end to hostilities. However, their efforts did not yield significant results.

At that time, Ukraine rejected the African delegation's proposed solution, stating that it could freeze the conflict without guaranteeing the withdrawal of Russian forces.

On the other hand, the Kremlin acknowledged that the African peace plan is "challenging to implement" but also confirmed that Putin has expressed interest in studying it.

The African peace proposals include "de-escalation measures" and "recognition of the sovereignty" of the countries as recognized by the United Nations, as well as providing "security guarantees" to all parties involved.



AFP