Putin rebuts key elements of African peace plan for Ukraine
(VOVWORLD) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday gave African leaders seeking to mediate in the conflict in Ukraine a list of reasons why he believed many of their proposals were hard to realize.
 Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 16, 2023. (Ramil Sitdikov/Host photo agency RIA Novosti via REUTERS)
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The African leaders were seeking agreement on a series of confidence building measures, even as Kyiv last week began a counteroffensive to push back Russian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said after meeting them in Kyiv on Friday that peace talks would require Moscow to withdraw its forces from occupied Ukrainian territory, something Russia has said is not negotiable.
Putin opened Saturday's talks with representatives of Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic, Comoros and South Africa in a palace near St Petersburg by stressing Russia's commitment to the continent.
But after presentations from the Comoran, Senegalese and South African presidents, he stepped in to challenge the assumptions of the plan - predicated on acceptance of internationally recognized borders - before the round of statements could go any further.
Putin reiterated his position that Ukraine and its Western allies had started the conflict long before Russia sent its armed forces over the border in February last year, something they deny.
He said the West, not Russia, was responsible for a sharp rise in global food prices early last year that has hit Africa especially hard.
Putin said Russia had never refused talks with the Ukrainian side, which had been blocked by Kyiv.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in televised remarks that Moscow shared the “main approaches” of the African plan, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying it was “difficult to realise”.
Peskov said Putin had shown interest in the plan, whose 10 points South African President Cyril Ramaphosa laid out in his presentation, and Russia would continue dialogue with the African countries.
The plan includes diplomatic means to settle the conflict, the de-escalation of hostilities, respect for the sovereignty of states, security guarantees, ensuring the export of grain and fertilizers, humanitarian assistance, the exchange of prisoners and captives, and post-war reconstruction.
Putin said Moscow was “open to constructive dialogue with anyone who wants to establish peace on the principles of fairness and acknowledgement of the legitimate interests of the parties”.