Russia, Ukraine to receive African mission, Ramaphosa says

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to meet with a group of African leaders to discuss a potential peace plan for the conflict. The two leaders that I had occasion to speak to, that is President Putin and President Zelensky, agreed that they would be willing to receive a mission of the African heads of state in both Moscow and Kiev. Details of the plan have not been publicly divulged, but Ukraine's stated position for any peace deal is that all Russian troops withdraw from its territory. The plan is backed by the leaders of Senegal, Uganda, Egypt, the Republic of Congo and Zambia. My discussions with the two leaders demonstrated that they are both ready to receive African leaders and to have a discussion on how this conflict can be brought to an end. Whether that will succeed or not is going to depend on the discussions that will be held. Ramaphosa said the United States and Britain had expressed cautious support for the plan and that the UN Secretary General had also been briefed.

South Africa is considered one of Moscow's closest allies on the continent, but says it is impartial and has abstained from voting on UN resolutions regarding the war. Last week, it rejected claims that weapons were loaded onto a Russian vessel from a naval base in Cape Town in December.

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