Not rejecting peace talks, but can't cease fire while under attack from Kyiv: Russian President Vladimir Putin

Moscow, July 30

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that an African initiative could be a basis for peace in Ukraine but that Ukrainian attacks made it hard to realise.

He was speaking at a press conference after meeting African leaders in St Petersburg on Friday and hearing their calls for Moscow to move ahead with their plan.

"There are provisions of this peace initiative that are being implemented," he said. "But there are things that are difficult or impossible to implement." It was reported in June that African mediation in the conflict could begin with confidence-building measures followed by a cessation of hostilities agreement accompanied by negotiations between Russia and the West.

Putin said one of the points in 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," he said.

On the question of starting peace talks, he said, "We did not reject them... In order for this process to begin, there needs to be agreement on both sides." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected the idea of a ceasefire now that would leave Russia in control of nearly a fifth of his country and give its forces time to regroup after 17 grinding months of war. — Reuters

Moscow airport closed after drone strike

Moscow: Three Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow on Sunday, injuring one person and prompting a temporary closure of traffic at one of the four airports around the Russian capital, Russian authorities said. The Defence Ministry referred to the incident as an “attempted terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime”. A drone was shot down in the surrounding Moscow region by air defence systems. AP

Saudi Arabia to host peace summit in August

Dubai: Saudi Arabia will host a Ukrainian-organised peace summit in early August seeking to find a way to start negotiations over Russia’s war on the country, officials said Sunday. The summit will be held in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, said one official, who spoke early Sunday on condition of anonymity as no authorisation had been given to publicly discuss the summit. Russia was not invited, the official added. Hours later, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, Andriy Yermak, confirmed the talks would be held in Saudi Arabia. ap

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