The Kremlin stated on its Telegram channel: “Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, during which Putin informed his counterpart of the key outcomes of the talks held yesterday in Moscow with U.S. Special Envoy Stephen Whitcroft. Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his gratitude for the information provided. The Russian side also praised the well-known peace initiative of African countries, including South Africa, aimed at resolving the Ukrainian crisis.
Putin had received the U.S. Special Envoy, Steve Whitcroft, at the Kremlin on Wednesday. After the meeting, Russian Presidential Assistant Yuri Ushakov stated that Whitcroft received some specific signals regarding the Ukrainian issue, and conversely conveyed similar messages entrusted to him by the U.S. President.
Quickly, on Thursday, the news of the anticipated summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump dominated the front pages of leading global media outlets. Some perceived it as a sign of hope for a swift end to the conflict in Ukraine, while others noted that the meeting itself would be a new victory for the Russian president.
