Moscow: South Africa’s president arrived in Saint Petersburg, Russia on Saturday ahead of talks headed by an African delegation pushing for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow even as doubts grow they will bear fruit.
The African leaders are attempting to make the continent’s issues heard after it has been buffeted by economic headwinds caused by the conflict.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s arrival in Saint Petersburg “follows constructive discussions with (Ukrainian) President Volodymyr Zelensky,” the South African presidency said.
The delegation will “meet (Russian) President Vladimir Putin to seek a road to peace to (end) the 16 months-long conflict (that’s) caused devastating economic impact, loss of life and global instability”.
The mission includes four presidents: Ramaphosa, Senegal’s Macky Sall, Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema and Comoros’ Azali Assoumani, who also currently heads the African Union.
The leaders of Uganda, Egypt and Congo-Brazzaville pulled out of the visit at the last moment and sent representatives instead.
Efforts to secure peace appear increasingly perilous, analysts told AFP, with both Kyiv and Moscow convinced they can win on the battlefield.
“There must be de-escalation on both sides,” Ramaphosa said in a press conference in Kyiv the day before, calling for “peace through negotiations”.
But Zelensky ruled out that possibility during a joint press conference with the delegates.
“I clearly said several times at our meeting that to allow any negotiations with Russia, now that the occupier is on our land, is to freeze… pain and suffering,” he said.
