Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media platform: The Degel HaTorah party, which has four members in the Knesset, announces its withdrawal from Netanyahu's cabinet.
Local Syrian sources: The raids targeted the road between the village of Al-Mazra'a and the city of Sweida, where forces and factions affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense are advancing.
Local Syrian sources: New raids carried out by Israeli warplanes targeted vehicles and gatherings of military factions affiliated with the new Syrian Ministry of Defense.
Local Syrian sources: Israeli raids target, for the third time, gatherings of Syrian Defense Forces military factions in the southern countryside of Sweida.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: Gaza Strip hospitals received 120 martyrs and 557 wounded in the past 24 hours.
The Israeli Walla! website: We are running out of stockpiles, our forces are exhausted, and the lives of the captives are in danger. It is time for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Several wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a tent in al-Mawasi, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Three wounded, three killed in an ongoing operation in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling targets the outskirts of the town of Shebaa
Al-Qassam Brigades: The targeting took place at the intersection of 'Street 5' with the western line north of Khan Younis

Putin, African delegates holding talks as part of 'peace mission'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Jun 2023 18:00
5 Min Read

African leaders are making an effort to bring the continent's challenges to the world's attention amid the Ukraine crisis.

  • x
  • African delegates arriving in St. Petersburg on peace talks mission
    The Russian national flag flies on top of the State Hermitage Museum in central St. Petersburg (AFP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding closed-door negotiations with African delegates at the Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg to discuss the joint African peace initiative on Ukraine, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Saturday.

Putin personally received and greeted all the delegates.

The president of South Africa landed in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on Saturday ahead of discussions led by an African team that is urging dialogue between Kiev and Moscow despite growing skepticism about their success.

After being battered by economic headwinds brought on by the conflict, African leaders are making an effort to bring the continent's challenges to the world's attention.

The arrival of President Cyril Ramaphosa in Saint Petersburg "follows constructive discussions with (Ukrainian) President Volodymyr Zelensky," the South African administration stated.

The team will "meet (Russian) President Vladimir Putin to seek a road to peace to (end) the 16-month conflict (that's) caused devastating economic impact, loss of life, and global instability," according to the statement.

Four presidents are participating in the mission: Ramaphosa, Macky Sall of Senegal, Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, and Azali Assoumani of Comoros, who is also the president of the African Union at the moment.

At the last minute, the leaders of Uganda, Egypt, and Congo-Brazzaville canceled their trips but sent representatives in their place.

Analysts told AFP that efforts to maintain peace appear to be in danger since both Moscow and Kiev believe they can prevail militarily.

In a news conference the day before in Kiev, Ramaphosa called for "peace through negotiations" and stated that "there must be de-escalation on both sides."

Nevertheless, during a joint press conference with the delegates, Zelensky ruled out that option.

"I clearly said several times at our meeting that to allow any negotiations with Russia, now that the occupier is on our land, is to freeze... pain and suffering," he said.

Kiev's visit did not get off to a smooth start

Related News

Bolton dismisses Trump’s Nobel hopes over Ukraine policy shift

Trump threatens 100% secondary tariffs on Russia, sets deadline

According to Ramaphosa, "It is important to listen very carefully to what both countries have to say, and tomorrow we are now going to listen to President Putin."

It wasn't a smooth start for the tour to Kiev.

After they arrived, an air raid siren sounded in Kiev, which Zelensky claimed indicated that either Putin did not have control over his forces or was acting in an "irrational" way.

Ramaphosa interpreted the barrage as proof that both sides ought to put down their weapons.

The group also arrives as Kiev pushes its recently initiated counteroffensive and both sides are paying close attention to battlefield events.

On Friday night, Kiev claimed that it had achieved tactical victories "practically in all areas where our units are fighting in the south," but Russia continues to refute such claims with the attack repelled on multiple fronts.

"I think that Ukraine's armed forces stand no chance (in the south), as well as in other directions... I have no doubt about that," Putin said.

The conflict affects African countries negatively

This comes at a time when Russia continues to accuse the West of obstructing its fertilizer exports and threatens to renege on a pact that permits Ukrainian grain exports to restart through the Black Sea but ends on July 17, as the other part of the agreement concerning Russia continues to be overlooked. 

One potential objective of the mission would be to ensure the long-term durability of an agreement that would allow grain from Ukraine to reach the international market.

Ramaphosa stated in Kiev that "this conflict is also negatively affecting African countries, touching on the livelihoods of 1.2 or 1.3 billion people on the African continent."

In advance of a conference between Russia and Africa next month, analysts told AFP that the mediation attempt might succeed in securing some concessions from the Kremlin.

Other analysts have predicted that exports of fertilizer and prisoner swaps will also likely be on the table in Moscow.

African leaders head to Kiev on a peace talks mission

The delegation of African leaders meant to initiate peace talks between Moscow and Kiev is expected to arrive in Ukraine from Poland by train on Friday, as the Ukrainian counteroffensive carries on.

South African President Cyril Ramaphonsa highlighted the important role that the diplomatic mission has to play since, saying, "It is times of escalated conflict that search for peace must be equally accelerated."

African nations have been hit hard by increased grain prices due to the Ukrainian crisis as their efforts hope to find solutions to an issue that has strong effects on the world as a whole. 

However, the NATO-backed Ukrainian government has taken a rigid position, refusing to open dialogue with Russia and opting to extend military conflict as it carries out a counteroffensive on Russian positions. 

  • Russia
  • South Africa
  • Black Sea
  • Saint Petersburg
  • Ukraine
  • Cyril Ramaphosa
  • peace talks

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Al Mayadeen: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned
Politics

Al Mayadeen: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned

Rutte, Trump
US & Canada

Trump threatens 100% secondary tariffs on Russia, sets deadline

Syrian government soldiers on a motorcycle pass by a burning tank on the outskirts of Sweida city, where clashes erupted between the Druze community and Bedouine clans, in southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli airstrikes target Syrian military factions near Sweida

Lebanon, US, disarmament
MENA

US pressure on Lebanon grows over Resistance disarmament plan

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS