‘We did not reject them’: Putin on peace talks with Ukraine

By Reuters: Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that an African initiative could possibly be a foundation for peace in Ukraine however that Ukrainian assaults made it laborious to understand.

He was talking at a press convention after assembly African leaders in St Petersburg on Friday and listening to their requires Moscow to maneuver forward with their plan.

“There are provisions of this peace initiative that are being implemented,” he stated. “But there are things that are difficult or impossible to implement.”

Reuters reported in June that African mediation within the battle might start with confidence-building measures adopted by a cessation of hostilities settlement accompanied by negotiations between Russia and the West.

Putin stated that one of many factors within the initiative was a ceasefire. “But the Ukrainian army is on the offensive, they are attacking, they are implementing a large-scale strategic offensive operation… We cannot cease fire when we are under attack.”

On the query of beginning peace talks, he stated, “We did not reject them… In order for this process to begin, there needs to be agreement on both sides.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected the thought of a ceasefire now that would depart Russia answerable for almost a fifth of his nation and provides its forces time to regroup after 17 grinding months of warfare.