CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday that his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts have agreed to separate meetings with a delegation of African heads of state to discuss a possible plan to end the war in Ukraine.
Ramaphosa spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone over the weekend and they each agreed to host “an African leaders’ peace mission” in Moscow and Kyiv, respectively, a statement from the South African leader’s office said.
The leaders of Zambia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda and Egypt plan to join Ramaphosa on the mission, the president said. He said Putin and Zelenskyy gave him the go-ahead to “commence the preparations.”
No details were provided on the possible parameters of the talks. Zelenskyy has previously said he would not consider a peace deal to end the 15-month war until Russian forces withdraw completely from Ukrainian territory.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres also was briefed on the African delegation’s planned meetings and “welcomed the initiative,” Ramaphosa said.
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