Commenting that he does not reject the idea of peace talks on Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the initiatives of Africa and China can serve as a basis for peace talks in Ukraine. But he warns there are some things that are impossible to implement.
On the closing day of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St. Petersburg on Saturday (July 29), Russia's president said Moscow had not rejected peace talks.
Putin said it would be difficult to enforce a ceasefire when the Ukrainian army is on the offensive.
Earlier, Ukraine and Russia said they would not come to the negotiating table without certain preconditions. Ukraine wants its borders restored to the way they were in 1991, which the Kremlin strongly opposes.
For Moscow's demands to come to the negotiating table, Kiev must accept its country's "new regional reality".
Putin said at the press conference that for the time being they have no plans to take drastic measures in Ukraine. He said Moscow carried out some preemptive strikes in Ukraine after the Crimean bridge explosion earlier this month.
It should be noted that in last June, the leaders of seven African countries started a peace mission with the aim of stopping the war between Ukraine and Russia. They were meeting first with Volodymyr Zelensky and later with Vladimir Putin.
The delegation includes the leaders of South Africa, Egypt, Senegal, Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros, Zambia and Uganda.
When South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the African peace mission, he did not mention any specific proposals or timeframe.
Rather, it appears that the field of potential peace-makers is already crowded. The leaders of China and Turkey and Pope Francis - there are many like that.
Former South African diplomat and analyst Kingsley Makhubela asked the question, 'What is the strategic focus of this initiative of African leaders? It is not clear. Is it a photo-op of African heads of state?
Such activism by African leaders is not usually seen in international conflicts. From that point of view, this initiative is a rare event. Because the Ukraine crisis is generally seen as a conflict between Russia and the West. News - BBC.