Senegalese President Macky Sall expressed his hope that the Russia-Africa summit, scheduled for July 27-28 in St. Petersburg, would provide an opportunity to address the conflict in Ukraine. In an interview with the Financial Times, President Sall stated that the platform of the summit could be utilized to advance negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
He emphasized the importance of a potential meeting during the summit, as it could potentially contribute to making progress towards a peaceful settlement. He acknowledged the challenges involved in engaging both sides of the conflict but remained optimistic about the positive response received regarding their initiative.
Furthermore, President Sall highlighted the pressing issues of food security and agriculture faced by African countries. He mentioned the difficulties African nations encounter in purchasing Russian fertilizers due to the existing sanctions against Russia.
Previously, a delegation comprising the presidents of Zambia, Comoros, Senegal, South Africa, the prime minister of Egypt, and representatives from the Republic of Congo and Uganda visited Kiev for talks with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. The delegation later met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. During the visit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa presented a ten-principle plan outlining a potential peace process in Ukraine. It was agreed that the delegation would continue consultations with the Russian side during the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg. However, the specific schedule and format of consultations with Kyiv have not been disclosed yet.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS