Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday gave African leaders trying to mediate the war in Ukraine a list of reasons he believed many of their proposals were misguided, pouring cold water on a plan already largely rejected by Kiev.
African leaders sought agreement on a series of “confidence-building measures” even as Kiev launched a counter-offensive last week to push Russian forces out of the areas of southern and eastern Ukraine they occupy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said after meeting them in Kiev on Friday that peace talks would require Moscow to withdraw its forces from occupied Ukrainian territory, which Russia has said is non-negotiable.
Putin opened Saturday’s meeting with representatives of Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, the Republic of Congo, Comoros and South Africa at a palace outside St. Petersburg by underscoring Russia’s commitment to the continent.
But after presentations from the presidents of Comoros, Senegal and South Africa, he stepped in to challenge the assumptions of the plan – based on accepting internationally recognized borders – before the round of declarations could continue.
Putin reiterated his position that Ukraine and its Western allies started the conflict long before Russia sent its armed forces across the border last February, which they deny.
He says the West, not Russia, is responsible for the spike in global food prices at the beginning of last year, which hit Africa particularly hard.
He told the delegation that Ukraine’s grain exports from Black Sea ports, which Russia allowed last year, did nothing to ease Africa’s problems with high food prices, as they were largely going to rich countries.
And he said that Russia has never refused to negotiate with the Ukrainian side, which has been blocked by Kyiv. But Moscow has repeatedly said that any peace must allow for “new realities,” meaning the declared annexation of five Ukrainian provinces, four of which it only partially controls — a red line for 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 implement.”
Peskov said Putin showed interest in the plan, the 10 points of which South African President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined in his presentation, and Russia would continue dialogue with African countries.
Lavrov said they did not bring any message from Zelensky to the Russian leader. Putin said Moscow was “open to constructive dialogue with anyone who wants to establish peace on the principles of fairness and recognition of the parties’ legitimate interests.”
There was no immediate word on the bilateral talks Ramaphosa, host of the August summit of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, said Ramaphosa had with Putin.
Since the International Criminal Court in March charged Putin with war crimes – which he denies – South Africa, as a member of the court, finds itself in the awkward position of having to arrest him if he steps foot there.
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