African leaders seek peace with Putin amidst Ukraine conflict.

African leaders met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg to call for peace in Ukraine, after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Putin welcomed the delegation's "balanced stance" on the conflict and said Moscow was open to constructive dialogue. Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops are making progress in southern sectors in their counteroffensive against Russian occupation troops, and NATO has approved plans for a new maritime center to protect critical underwater infrastructure from possible attacks by state actors, including Russia.