African Leaders Convene with Ukrainian and Russian Presidents in Effort to Terminate War

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Ukraine on Friday, leading a delegation of African leaders and senior officials who are actively seeking solutions to bring an end to Russia’s ongoing war. Unfortunately, a somber air raid in Kyiv during their visit served as a stark reminder of the formidable challenge they face.

Upon his arrival, Ramaphosa was greeted by a Ukrainian special envoy and South Africa’s ambassador at a rail station near Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv. The location holds significant symbolism as it has become synonymous with the brutality inflicted by Moscow’s military since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The ruthless Russian occupation of Bucha resulted in the deaths of numerous civilians, their bodies strewn across the streets and buried in mass graves.

The African delegation consists of esteemed officials from Zambia, Senegal, Uganda, Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, and the Comoro Islands.

Furthermore, Ramaphosa had previously announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin had both agreed to separate meetings with the delegation. Following their visit to Bucha, the delegation was scheduled to travel to St. Petersburg, where Russia’s premier international economic conference was taking place. They were set to meet with Putin on Saturday.

The primary objective of the African leaders is not only to initiate a peace process but also to explore possibilities for compensating Russia, which is under substantial international sanctions, for its fertilizer exports—a critical commodity needed by African nations. Additionally, they will discuss the vital issue of ensuring uninterrupted grain shipments from Ukraine amidst the ongoing war, as well as the potential for more prisoner exchanges.

As Ukraine launches a counteroffensive to reclaim occupied territories, employing advanced weaponry supplied by Western nations, the African peace initiative offers a glimmer of hope. However, military officials and analysts from the West have cautioned that the campaign may be protracted.

China has also been actively working on a peace proposal, but prospects for success seem slim as the warring parties remain far from reaching a ceasefire agreement.

In positive developments, Ukrainian forces have made significant gains along three fronts in the country’s southern and eastern regions. Ukrainian General Staff spokesperson Andriy Kovalev reported progress in the areas south of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region, toward the village of Robotyne, as well as near Levadne and Staromaiorske, situated on the border between Zaporizhzhia and the Donetsk province further east. Kovalev also mentioned advances in certain areas around Vuhledar, a mining town in Donetsk that previously witnessed a major tank battle.

It is important to note that the veracity of these claims could not be independently confirmed.

Tragically, Russian shelling in the southern Kherson region resulted in the death of two civilians and left two others wounded. The governor of Kherson, Oleksandr Prokudin, reported that Russian forces conducted 54 strikes across the province within a day, employing mortars, artillery, multiple rocket launchers, drones, missiles, and aircraft. In the eastern Donetsk region, local governor Pavlo Kyrylenko stated that ten individuals were injured during the same period.

For the latest updates on the Ukraine-Russia war, follow AP’s coverage at https://bigbignews.net/russia-ukraine

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More about war termination

• South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrives in Ukraine
• Russia-Ukraine war coverage by AP
• Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces
• Chinese peace proposal for Ukraine-Russia conflict
• Impact of the conflict on Ukrainian civilians