African Leaders To Hold Peace Talks Between Putin And Zelensky.

Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky have both consented to hold separate meetings with a delegation of African heads of state to discuss a potential strategy to end the war in Ukraine, according to Ramaphosa the president of South Africa.

According to a representative for his office, Cyril Ramaphosa spoke over the phone with his colleagues in Russia and Ukraine over the weekend. ‘An African leaders’ peace mission’ will be hosted in Moscow and Kyiv, respectively.

According to the president, the leaders of Zambia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda, and Egypt intend to travel with Mr Ramaphosa on the journey. He stated that he had received permission to “commence the preparations” from both Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky.

Although more information regarding the peace negotiations was kept under wraps, Mr Zelensky previously stated that he would not contemplate a peace agreement to end the 15-month war until Russian forces had completely withdrawn from Ukrainian territory.

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According to Mr Ramaphosa, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was informed of the meetings the African delegation planned to attend and “welcomed the initiative.”

“I agreed with both President Putin and President Zelensky to commence with preparations for engagements with the African heads of state,” the South African leader said, speaking at a press conference in Cape Town while Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was on a state visit.

“We’re hoping we will have intensive discussions.”

According to Ramaphosa, African leaders have held discussions and consultations in recent months, to determine how the continent might help bring an end to the conflict.

“This we have been talking about as African leaders, because we concluded that conflict in that part of the world, that much as it does not affect Africa directly in the form of deaths and destruction to our infrastructure, it does have an impact on the lives of many Africans with regards to food security. Prices of fertiliser, cereals and fuel have gone up,” he said.

“Facilitated by the Brazzaville Foundation, we have been able to have these discussions, and principal to our discussions are efforts towards a peaceful resolution to the devastating conflict in Ukraine, its cost in human lives, and the impact on the African continent.”

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February of last year sparked a protracted conflict. Ukraine is anticipated to launch a counteroffensive soon in an effort to reclaim territory that Russia has captured and drive Putin’s soldiers back east.