President's Office confirms South African president wants to visit Ukraine with "peace initiative"
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a phone call that he wants to come to Ukraine with a mission from several African countries.
Source: Presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda
Quote: "During a telephone conversation on 13 May, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa informed Volodymyr Zelenskyy of his intention to come to Ukraine as part of a mission from several African countries.
The President of Ukraine welcomed this peace initiative. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to meet the distinguished guests in Ukraine, listen to their proposals, talk about the Ukrainian Peace Formula and invite them to join in with its implementation."
Details: On 16 May, Russian propagandists reported that Ramaphosa talked to both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sources in the Russian Federation have claimed that Putin and Zelenskyy both agreed to welcome the "peace initiative" mission of African leaders.
Background:
- In March, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the illegal deportation of thousands of children from Ukraine. The warrant means that Putin could be arrested in any of the ICC member states.
- Putin has been invited to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in South Africa this summer.
- South Africa has refused to implement sanctions against the Russian Federation or to condemn its aggression against Ukraine.
- South Africa considered withdrawing from the ICC to avoid having to arrest Putin, but eventually suggested that the Russian leader join the BRICS summit virtually, via Zoom.
- US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said that South Africa likely supplied Russia with weapons and ammunition for its war against Ukraine.
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