Achieving peace in the Ukraine conflict is impossible without engaging with Russia, South Africa's Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told the Russian media after delivering a speech at an analytical center in London.
"Whatever peace mission initiative that must happen, it must include both parties. So there can be engagements that lead up to some kind of solution. We don't see how you can achieve peace in this process without also engaging with Russia," Minister Lamola stated.
The official said he discussed the situation in Ukraine with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy during his visit to London.
"The point where we do not agree is Ukraine and Russia - how Great Britain views it and how we view the resolution of the conflict. But we agreed to continue to engage," the minister emphasized.
Lamola added that a delegation of African leaders might visit Russia for a second time for negotiations on the Ukrainian issue.
The delegation included the leaders of South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, the Comoros, Egypt, Uganda, and the Republic of the Congo.
Their initiative includes de-escalation of the conflict on both sides, diplomatic negotiations, ensuring the sovereignty of states in accordance with the UN Charter, prisoner exchange, post-war reconstruction, and more.
In response to some of these points, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine itself had withdrawn from talks with Russia, even though a peace agreement was initialed in Istanbul, which he showed to African leaders.