'Trust building measures' proposed by African leaders to end Ukraine war

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa

According to a draft framework document seen by Reuters on Thursday, African leaders could propose a series of "confidence-building measures" during their initial efforts to mediate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The document lists a number of measures that could be proposed by the African leaders as part of the first stage of their engagement with the warring parties.

Those measures could include a Russian troop pull-back, removal of tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, suspension of implementation of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant targeting Putin and sanctions relief.

"The above-mentioned measures should aim to facilitate the creation of an environment conducive for a cease-fire, and that will allow the parties to build trust and to consider formulating their peace restoration strategies," the document said.

A cessation of hostilities agreement could follow and would need to be accompanied by negotiations between Russia and the West, the document stated.

The framework document, which has not been made public, states that the objective of the mission is "to promote the importance of peace and to encourage the parties to agree to a diplomacy-led process of negotiations."

A cessation of hostilities agreement could follow and would need to be accompanied by negotiations between Russia and the West, the document added.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading the African peace delegation, which also includes heads of state from Zambia, the Republic of Congo, Egypt, Senegal and Uganda.

Ramaphosa has today traveled to Poland en route to Ukraine and Russia as part of an African peace mission, his office said on Thursday.

Ramaphosa will meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Ukraine on Friday and with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Saturday.

The visit comes shortly after Ukraine last week launched the main phase of a counteroffensive it hopes will help liberate territory occupied by Russian forces in the south and east.