Russia and Africa are feeling the heat of Western unity and the cost of war. The diplomatic flurry in Moscow is a desperate effort on both sides to save face on the one hand and to find a way out of a senseless and costly war. It is also an effort to try and save the upcoming African Summit in Moscow that Moscow desperately needs to regain some international standing.

Both Russia and Africa desperately need some diplomatic success and an end to a costly war under which their nations are suffering. The South African government specifically is under severe pressure from Washington because of its dealings with Moscow and desperately needs to show some “success” flowing from their unwillingness to condemn outright the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

There is also a strong suspicion that they have in fact supplied military support of some sort to Russia. President Ramaphosa also needs successes to counter his weakening position in SA itself.

That said, any move to end this bloody and costly war should be welcomed, even if it is driven by own interest. One can just hope that a desperate Putin will see this as an opportunity to get out of this war without losing too much face. However, I am not too optimistic.

Dawie Jacobs, Indonesia