Putin: African initiative could be a basis for peace in Ukraine | Moscow does not reject talks with Kyiv
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that an African initiative could potentially serve as a basis for peace in Ukraine. However, he also pointed out that the ongoing attacks from the Ukrainian side have made it challenging to realize this initiative. Putin made these remarks during a press conference following his meeting with African leaders in St. Petersburg, where they urged Moscow to move forward with their proposed plan for peace in Ukraine.
- Diplomacy
- Reuters
- Published Date: 09:17 | 30 July 2023
- Modified Date: 09:19 | 30 July 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that an African initiative could be a basis for peace in Ukraine but that Ukrainian attacks made it hard to realise.
He was speaking at a press conference after meeting African leaders in St Petersburg on Friday and hearing their calls for Moscow to move ahead with their plan.
"There are provisions of this peace initiative that are being implemented," he said. "But there are things that are difficult or impossible to implement."
Reuters reported in June that African mediation in the conflict could begin with confidence-building measures followed by a cessation of hostilities agreement accompanied by negotiations between Russia and the West.
Putin said that one of the points in the initiative was a ceasefire. "But the Ukrainian army is on the offensive, they are attacking, they are implementing a large-scale strategic offensive operation... We cannot cease fire when we are under attack."
On the question of starting peace talks, he said, "We did not reject them... In order for this process to begin, there needs to be agreement on both sides."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the idea of a ceasefire now that would leave Russia in control of nearly a fifth of his country and give its forces time to regroup after 17 grinding months of war.