Ukraine-Russia crisis - The African Mirror

Dec

2022

Putin is open to talks and diplomacy on Ukraine, Kremlin says

GUY FAULCONBRIDGE PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin is open to talks on a possible settlement to the conflict in Ukraine and believes in a diplomatic solution, the Kremlin said after Joe Biden suggested he was prepared to speak to the Russian leader. Biden, speaking beside French President Emmanuel Macron, said the only way to end the war in Ukraine was for Putin to pull troops out and that if Putin was looking to end the conflict then Biden would be prepared to speak to him. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov struck a dovish tone when asked about Biden's remarks, saying that Putin remained open to…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

WORLD

UKRAINE said an agreement to resume grain exports blocked by Russia appeared close as Turkey hosted four-way talks, raising hopes of an end to a standoff that has exposed millions to the risk of starvation. Several Ukrainian cities meanwhile reported heavy Russian shelling. ECONOMY/DIPLOMACY * Delegations from Ukraine, Russia and Turkey met U.N. officials in Istanbul to discuss resuming exports of Ukraine grain from the Black Sea port of Odesa. Kyiv believed a deal was "two steps away", Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba was quoted as saying, though other participants seemed less optimistic and Turkey's defence ministry gave no details of…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Ukraine tells residents to leave occupied south due to counter-attack plans

WORLD

MAX HUNDER UKRAINE'S deputy prime minister urged civilians in the Russian-occupied southern region of Kherson to urgently evacuate as Ukraine's armed forces were preparing a counter-attack there. Ukraine lost control of most of the Black Sea region of Kherson, including its eponymous capital, in the first weeks after Russia's Feb. 24 invasion. "It's clear there will be fighting, there will be artillery shelling... and we, therefore, urge (people) to evacuate urgently," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on national television. She said she could not say when exactly the counter-offensive would happen. "I know for sure that there should not…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

Kremlin says Russia’s operation in Ukraine could end ‘in foreseeable future’

WORLD

THE Kremlin said that what it calls Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine could end in the "foreseeable future" since its aims were being achieved and work was being carried out by both the Russian military and Russian peace negotiators. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also said Moscow understood that some countries that had tried to adopt a balanced position had been subjected to pressure to vote on Thursday to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council. The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday suspended Russia from the Council over reports of "gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights" in…

Mar

2022

By The African Mirror

South African rand slips as Ukraine-Russia crisis keeps nerves high

BUSINESS

THE South African rand weakened slightly against the U.S. dollar, as markets remained on edge following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. At 1503 GMT, the rand stood at 15.3600 against the dollar, down 0.18% versus its previous close. The rand had weakened more than 2% on Monday to hit 15.4933, as the fallout from tougher sanctions imposed by the West on Russia and the deepening crisis rippled across financial markets and hit risk appetite. A modicum of calm returned to currency markets on Tuesday, after high-level talks between Kyiv and Moscow. But the negotiations ended with no agreement other than to…