Kyiv Bombarded Amid African Leaders' Visit; Russia Wants 'More War'

As a group of African leaders and senior officials visited Ukraine on Friday, June 16, Moscow continued its airstrikes, bombarding Kyiv with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. Leaders from South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, and Comoros gathered in Ukraine to seek a solution to end Russia's full-scale war against the country while assessing how to pay for fertilizer exports to Russia, which is under severe international sanctions. They first made a symbolic stop in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv; a city that has become a symbol of Russian violence in Ukraine, where the occupation by Russia led to the deaths of hundreds in the streets and the creation of mass graves, with reports of torture evident on some victims. "Russia wants more war, not peace." After the air raid sirens sounded and the bombardment began, Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, tweeted: "Russian missiles are a message to Africa that Russia wants more war, not peace." Last month, Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa, stated that Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, and Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, had agreed to separate meetings with members of an African group tasked with reaching an agreement. Mr. Zelensky, in a joint press conference with African leaders in Kyiv, stated that peace negotiations with Russia would only be possible after Moscow withdraws from the occupied territories of Ukraine. African countries have largely remained neutral regarding the Ukraine war. Some, particularly South Africa, have friendly relations with Russia, but most have closer economic ties with the U.S. and Europe and are striving to end Russia's war with Ukraine. Russia's attempts to normalize the situation in the occupied areas under the shadow of Ukraine's counteroffensive. The visit of Grossi to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine; increasing concerns about a nuclear disaster. Netanyahu criticized the military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran during a "call with the Russian government."