Putin and Selenskyj are said to have accepted an attempt to mediate in the Ukraine war. An African delegation now apparently wants to travel to Moscow and Kiev.
Cape Town – Negotiating Russia’s President Wladimir Putin and the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj soon about a solution in the Ukraine war? The South African head of state Cyril Ramaphosa has now indicated the same. Both Putin and Zelenskyy have agreed to meet with a group of African leaders who want to present a peace plan. The news agency reports Reuters.
What exactly this peace plan should look like is not known. So far, Russia and the Ukraine irreconcilable positions in the conflict: Zelenskyj is fighting for all Russian troops to be withdrawn from his country and does not want to hold any talks with Russia before that. Russia, meanwhile, only launched massive rocket attacks on Kiev on Tuesday (May 16) and has already declared four Ukrainian regions their own national territory, in violation of international law.
Telephone calls with Putin and Zelenskyj – “Discussing how the conflict can be ended”
Ramaphosa said he had separate phone calls with Putin and Zelenskyy over the weekend. He presented an initiative that had been developed by South Africa, Zambia, Senegal, the Republic of Congo, Uganda and Egypt. “My discussions with the two leaders have shown that both are ready to receive the African leaders and discuss how to end this conflict,” Ramaphosa said at a news conference with the Singapore Prime Minister in Singapore Cape Town.
“Whether that succeeds or not will depend on the discussions that take place,” the head of state continued. Putin and Zelenskyy each want to receive the African delegation in their capitals, he explained. The African heads of state now wanted to travel to Russia and Ukraine “as soon as possible”.
Negotiations in the Ukraine war as an African mission? West should be informed
The South African President also commented on the reactions of Western supporters of Ukraine to the initiative: The US and Great Britain had expressed their “cautious” support for the plan. UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also informed about the initiative.
South Africa has taken a rather neutral position since the start of the Ukraine war. The country has so far refused to officially condemn the Russian actions. In February, South Africa also held naval maneuvers alongside Russia and China. In the West, the South African position was followed with concern.
Negotiations in the Ukraine war last between negotiators
Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine mainly took place at the beginning of the war – not between Putin and Zelenskyj directly, but between negotiators. Selenskyj has recently shown himself to be more willing to talk: after a spring offensive, there may be negotiations, sources in Kiev said. (smu/Reuters/AFP)
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