AU head, Putin discuss suspension of sanctions on cereals, political solution to ongoing conflict

ADDIS ABABA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Chairperson of the African Union (AU) and Senegalese President Macky Sall on Friday discussed the suspension of sanctions against cereals and the need for a political solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict with the Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia.

Sall, accompanied by the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, held "wide-ranging discussions" with Putin to reiterate the AU's position for the need of a political solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its grave human, economic costs to the region and the world, Mahamat said in a Twitter post on Friday evening.

"We appealed for the suspension of sanctions against cereals and other key commodities; the need for their safe sea passage to mitigate the devastating economic and socio-economic effects of a growing food and energy crisis, further hampering global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic," Mahamat added.

The two AU officials further underscored "the historical, strong fraternal relations between Russia and Africa."

They also expressed the African continent's "fervent wish for compromise and dialogue to allow a negotiated settlement in the interests of global peace and stability," Mahamat said.

The Senegalese presidency in a press release on Thursday said the visit by the two officials is aimed at "freeing up stocks of cereals and fertilizers, the blockage of which particularly affects African countries," and also easing the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

In March and April, Macky Sall had phone conversations separately with Putin and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.