Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that an African initiative could serve as a foundation for peace in Ukraine. However, he expressed difficulty in realizing this due to Ukrainian attacks. Putin made these comments during a press conference held after meeting with African leaders in St. Petersburg on Friday, who urged Moscow to move forward with their plan.
It was previously reported in June that African mediation in the Ukrainian conflict could begin with confidence-building measures and be followed by a cessation of hostilities agreement, along with negotiations between Russia and the Western countries.
Putin highlighted the importance of a ceasefire as one of the points in the African initiative. However, he argued that the Ukrainian army was engaging in offensive actions and implementing a large-scale strategic offensive operation. Given the ongoing attacks, Putin stated that it was not feasible to cease fire while under attack.
Regarding the possibility of peace talks, Putin clarified that they had not been rejected. However, he emphasized that both sides needed to reach an agreement for the process to commence.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected the idea of a ceasefire that would leave Russia in control of a significant portion of Ukrainian territory. Zelenskiy expressed concerns about giving Russian forces the opportunity to regroup after 17 months of continuous conflict.
The comments made by Putin highlight the challenges faced in achieving peace in Ukraine and the differing perspectives of the involved parties.