A peace mission amidst intense conflict in Ukraine.

African proposal

On June 16, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, along with his counterparts from Senegal, Zambia, Comoros, and representatives from several other countries, arrived in Ukraine to mediate a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.

Following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, African leaders are expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg today (June 17).

Quick overview: What are the latest developments in Russia's military operation in Ukraine on day 477?

Reuters reported that the purpose of the visit was to emphasize the importance of peace and encourage the parties in the conflict to agree to a diplomatic negotiation process. African leaders are expected to offer several confidence-building proposals, including calling for Russia to withdraw its troops, remove tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, postpone the execution of the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against President Putin, and ease Western sanctions. Following this, a ceasefire agreement would be negotiated with the participation of Russia and the West.

Sứ mệnh hòa bình giữa chiến sự căng thẳng tại Ukraine - Ảnh 1. — African leaders in the town of Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv on June 16.

Kyiv had previously emphasized that a condition for negotiations was Moscow's complete withdrawal of all forces from Ukrainian territory. Sputnik news agency yesterday quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that President Putin is ready for any contact to discuss a solution to the conflict.

Ukraine is facing difficulties.

On the same day, air raid sirens blared throughout the capital Kyiv while African leaders were present. Several explosions occurred after the Ukrainian air force announced the detection of missiles launched from the Black Sea heading north toward Kyiv. Ukraine said it intercepted six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, six Kalibr cruise missiles, and two drones.

Pentagon leaders say the situation in Ukraine is a 'marathon'.

On the other hand, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW-USA) reported that Ukrainian forces continued their counterattacks in at least three directions and are believed to have made further progress. Ukrainian General Staff spokesman Andriy Kovalov announced yesterday that partial success had been achieved in offensive and defensive efforts in multiple directions.

US lawmakers propose seizing Russian assets transferred to Ukraine.

US senators have just unveiled a bill that would allow President Joe Biden to seize Russian assets and transfer them to Ukraine for reconstruction. According to the Financial Times, the bill, proposed by Republican Senator Jim Risch and his Democratic colleague Sheldon Whitehouse, is also supported by several members of both parties in the House of Representatives. US senators argue that Russia is responsible for the financial burden of Ukraine's reconstruction. Therefore, Russian assets frozen in the US should be transferred to Ukraine, instead of using Washington's taxpayer money. Since the conflict began in 2022, Western countries have seized approximately $300 billion in Russian assets.

Despite high expectations, the counteroffensive is progressing slowly due to strong Russian resistance. In an interview with NBC News on June 15, President Zelensky said news from the front lines was "generally positive but still very difficult" because they are facing very tough resistance.

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Ukrainian ground forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi also acknowledged yesterday that they are facing fierce Russian resistance around the city of Bakhmut, as Moscow has deployed its best divisions with artillery and air support, according to Reuters. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on the same day that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy losses in Donetsk and the southern part of the province, the epicenter of the counteroffensive.

However, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the Ukrainian President's Chief of Staff, said this was merely a front-line test and the real counterattack had yet to begin.

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