Putin Meets With African Leaders in Russia to Discuss Ukraine Peace Plan, but No Visible Progress

Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) pose for a photo during a meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 17, 2023. Evgeny Biyatov/Photo host Agency RIA Novosti via AP

KYIV, Ukraine—Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday met with a group of leaders of African countries who traveled to Russia on a self-styled “peace mission” the day after they went to Ukraine, but the meeting ended with no visible progress.

The seven African leaders—the presidents of Comoros, Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia, as well as Egypt’s prime minister and top envoys from the Republic of Congo and Uganda—visited Ukraine on Friday to try to help end the nearly 16-month-old war.