Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent African leaders hoping to mediate in Ukraine’s conflict a list of reasons why he thought many of their proposals were wrong, putting the kibosh on a plan that Kyiv had already largely disregarded.
The African leaders were seeking agreement on a number of confidence-building measures, even as Kyiv launched a counteroffensive to push back Russian forces back from the swaths of southern and eastern Ukraine that they occupy.
After meeting them in Kyiv on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that peace talks would need Moscow to withdraw its military from occupied Ukrainian territory, something Russia has stated is not negotiable.
Putin began Saturday’s talks in a castle outside St Petersburg with representatives from Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic, Comoros, and South Africa by emphasizing Russia’s commitment to the continent.
But, after hearing from the presidents of Comoran, Senegalese, and South Africa, he intervened to question the plan’s assumptions, which were based on the recognition of internationally accepted borders, before the round of speeches could continue.
Putin maintained his position that Ukraine and its Western allies started the conflict long before Russia put its armed forces over the border in February last year, something Ukraine and its allies rejected.
He said that the West, not Russia, was to blame for a sharp rise in global food prices early last year, which affected Africa particularly hard.
He told the delegation that Ukrainian grain exports from Black Sea ports, which Russia has allowed for the past year, had done nothing to alleviate Africa’s food prices woes because they had mostly gone to wealthier countries.
He also stated that Russia has never opposed discussions with the Ukrainian side, which had been stymied by Kyiv.
Moscow, on the other hand, has consistently stated that any peace must allow for new realities, referring to the takeover of five Ukrainian provinces, four of which it only partially controls – a red line for Kyiv.
Also read: “War Has To Have An End”, Says South Africa’s Ramaphosa To Putin
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