African Leaders met Ukraine President Zelenskiy

Vladimir Putin told African leaders on Saturday that Russia welcomed their balanced approach to the conflict in Ukraine and was open to discussions.

“We are open to a constructive dialogue with all those who want peace based on the principles of justice and consideration of the legitimate interests of the parties,” Putin said.

The leaders from South Africa, Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic and the Comoro islands were meeting Putin at the government’s 18th-century Konstantinovsky Palace after visiting Kyiv on Friday.

The president of the Union of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, encouraged Putin to enter into negotiations to end the conflict with Ukraine, Reuters reports.

Azali Assoumani, Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Cyril Ramaphosa, the presidents of Comoros, Ukraine and South Africa, walk to a press conference following their meeting in Kyiv. Photograph: Vladimir Sindeyeve/NurPhoto/Shuttersto

A child holding a Ukrainian flag runs past a cultural centre that was destroyed in a missile strike, during a graduation ceremony of art students in the town of Derhachi. Photograph: Sergey Bobok/AFP/Getty Image

Lyceum graduates dance in front of the destroyed cultural centre in Derhachi, Kharkiv region. Photograph: Reuter

Ministers should confiscate the mansions, country estates and UK assets of Russian oligarchs to help pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine, a senior adviser in President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office said this weekend.

Vladyslav Vlasiuk, a sanctions expert working in the presidential office, said Ukraine’s government would like the UK to follow Canada in implementing new regulations that allow authorities to seize and redistribute assets belonging to sanctioned individuals and entities.

He said Russia should pay the hundreds of billions of dollars needed for reconstruction, rather than taxpayers in western countries. The UK government said in March it had frozen more than £18bn in Russian assets and was considering seizing them.

“It must be Russia which is held accountable and must pay,” said Vlasiuk. “Assets which are here in the UK and other jurisdictions are easily accessible. We would like to see those confiscated and sent to Ukraine for reconstruction.”

Vlasiuk spoke to the Observer as ministers and officials prepare to host governments, business leaders and non-governmental organisations in London this week for a Ukraine recovery conference.