South African leader briefs Putin on ‘African leaders peace mission’

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke over the phone with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and briefed him on an “African leaders peace mission.”

Six African leaders plan to travel to Russia and Ukraine to persuade them into talks that could end the war.

“President Putin has welcomed the initiative by African Heads of State and expressed his desire to receive the peace mission,” the statement said.

Ramaphosa’s office said the phone followed a discussion that took place on Monday amongst the African leaders involved in the planned African Peace Initiative.

The leaders included Othman Ghazali, the president of the Comoros Islands and current president of the African Union, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Senegal President Macky Sall, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.

The African leaders also discussed their forthcoming engagements with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding exploring ways of bringing an end to the conflict.

Ramaphosa and Putin also discussed the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit that is scheduled to take place at the end of July in St. Petersburg, in the Russian Federation.