KAZAN, May 18. /TASS/. Moscow welcomes any initiatives for a political settlement around Ukraine and it is waiting for specific proposals from African countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian president's special envoy for the Middle East and Africa, told the media on the sidelines of the Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum on Thursday.

"We need to see what ideas they (the African peace mission - TASS) will come up with and what proposals they have," he said. "We have a positive attitude towards all the initiatives that are aimed at finding a settlement."

Bogdanov also recalled that today "there are many people willing to be mediators in the settlement around Ukraine, such as former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett; the Chinese have also come up with their initiative. The Brazilians, too."