According to reports, President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke on the phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on matters concerning the African peace initiative in an effort to find a solution to the war in Ukraine.
There have been multiple reports in the media indicating that the Kremlin has confirmed the call.
In a statement released by the Kremlin, it was stated that President Putin will in the not-too-distant future host a delegation consisting of many African leaders of state. It went on to say that conversations also centred on the impending second Russia-Africa Summit that will take place in St. Petersburg at the end of July and the approaching BRICS Summit that will take place in Johannesburg in August, but it did not disclose any other specifics, including whether or not Putin will attend in person.
According to a statement issued by the Presidency on Tuesday, Ramaphosa convened a discussion with his five African counterparts, who all agreed to engage with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine on the ingredients for a ceasefire and a permanent peace in the region. Ramaphosa’s meeting was attended by his five African counterparts.
The Russia-Ukraine war has been going on for over a year and no solution was found. If African leaders could persuade Russia president Vladimir Putin, that’s a clear message on how highly Putin regard Africa as a whole.
#ICYMI: President Cyril Ramaphosa has held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on Wednesday. https://t.co/Snt6rUzv47 pic.twitter.com/xL4YnkjsMf
— SABC News (@SABCNews) June 8, 2023