Russia and the United States "coming together can mean much, can have more impact in terms of Africa trying to come out of this insecurity quagmire they are [in] today," Prof. Felix Chinwe Asogwa of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria, told Sputnik Africa.
The Russian-US dialogue "brings hope that diplomacy [and] dialogue should remain an instrument for resolving interstate and even intrastate conflict," he said, adding that "dialogue is key in terms of managing human affairs."
According to the expert, who is a professor of international relations at his university's Faculty of Social Sciences, the whole world will appreciate such dialogue "because it represents a stepping stone to a more stable peace, especially within the axis of both Western and Eastern European nations, and to a large extent, the global society."
Asogwa also argued that "for the sake of a more encompassing global or regional peace" in terms of settlement of the Ukraine crisis, it is also necessary to bring in Kiev for negotiations eventually; however, he noted, Ukraine cannot be regarded as a key actor in terms of the conflict as it cannot make independent decisions with the US and the EU "standing behind it."
The scholar also highlighted Saudi Arabia's role as a mediator, noting that its control over energy resources provides "an environment for global diplomatic dealings."