A delegation of African leaders mediating in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday that it was time to negotiate an end to fighting, which they said was harming the entire world.
The delegation, which includes presidents from Senegal, South Africa, Zambia, and Comoros, as well as the prime minister of Egypt, earlier travelled to Kyiv on Friday, where they met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
At a joint press conference in Saint Petersburg, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is leading the delegation, said: ''We are here to communicate a very clear message that we would like this war to be ended.''
He said ''this war must be settled.'' Ramaphosa called for negotiations between between Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict because of its global consequences including on African countries. ''This is the time for both parties to negotiate to end the war,'' Ramaphosa added.
The South African leader also urged the ''opening up of the movement of grains across the Black Sea'' to the international market. ''Grains and commodities must be opened to the markets.''
The African delegation called for all children caught up in the conflict to be returned to where they came from, but Putin said Russia was not preventing any Ukrainian children from returning home.
"We took them out of a conflict zone, saving their lives," he said.
Russia-Ukraine talks possible?
"We have come to listen to you and through you to hear the voice of the Russian people," said Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who currently heads the African Union.
"We wanted to encourage you to enter into negotiations with Ukraine," he said.
For his part, President Vladimir Putin said Russia was ready to consider any African proposals for settlement with Ukraine but that it was Kyiv refusing talks.
He said Russia had never refused talks with the Ukrainian side, which had been blocked by Kyiv.
''We immediately accepted your proposal to hold negotiations on Ukraine issue,'' President Putin told the African delegation.
Putin said Russia 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."
However, Russia has said repeatedly that any settlement must take account of "new realities", meaning its declared annexation of five Ukrainian provinces, four of which it only partially controls.
The African leaders have suggested after this mission, they would continue with mediation efforts as they seek an agreement between the parties on a series of "confidence building measures" even as Ukraine last week began a counteroffensive to push back Russian forces from Ukrainian territory they occupy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had said after meeting the leaders in Kyiv on Friday that peace talks with Russia would be possible only after Moscow withdrew its forces from Ukrainian territory.
