African leaders could propose a series of 'confidence building measures' during their initial efforts to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, according to a draft framework document seen by Reuters on Thursday.
Aiming to begin "diplomacy-led" process to resolve conflictJOHANNESBURG, June 15 - African leaders could propose a series of "confidence building measures" during their initial efforts to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, according to a draft framework document seen by Reuters on Thursday.
The framework document, which has not been made public, states that the objective of the mission is "to promote the importance of peace and to encourage the parties to agree to a diplomacy-led process of negotiations". Those measures could include a Russian troop pull-back, removal of tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, suspension of implementation of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant targeting Putin, and sanctions relief.
Those talks would need to treat issues including the deployment of medium-range weapons systems, tactical nuclear arms and biological weapons systems.U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Ramaphosa had given him a description of the African efforts. The pair spoke a month ago, a U.N. spokesperson said.
Since the war's outbreak, Africa has been at the centre of renewed competition for influence between Russia and China on one side and Western nations calling for a condemnation of Moscow on the other.Ukraine has conducted a wartime push to court the Global South and challenge Russian diplomatic influence, as it tries to cement the vision laid out by Zelenskiy as the only viable path to peace in his country.
The Kremlin has played down the chances of meaningful peace talks with Kyiv while saying it remains ready to listen and open to third party initiatives even as it says the conditions for a peace process are currently not in place.
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