'Give peace a chance': Can Turkey, China, South Africa broker Russia-Ukraine truce?
FirstpostLeaders of Belarus, China, Turkey, Israel and South Africa have positioned themselves as mediators in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. He had also urged Ukrainians to “stop” their confrontation with Russia – and abandon their US “masters.” However, after assurances Zelenskyy agreed to hold talks with Russia at the Belarus border. News agency Reuters reported that acting at Ukraine’s behest, Bennett had held a three-hour Kremlin meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin last Saturday. Zelenskyy, putting his faith in Bennett said, “I believe can play an important role, because Israel is a country with a lot of history and parallels, as well as having a large migration of Jews from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus.” However, playing mediator could be a real issue for Israel; the country relies on the Kremlin for security coordination in Syria, and with Moscow sitting at the negotiating table with Iran over its nuclear program, Israel cannot afford to anger President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, Beijing has spoken of its “unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty,” while adding that China is ready to make “every effort to end the war… through diplomacy.” It has also expressed “regret” about the military action and concern for civilian casualties, signaling it could play a role in trying to broker a cease-fire.