Cyril Ramaphosa hails ‘historic’ Ukraine peace mission after talks

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday hailed an African mission to broker peace in Ukraine as “historic” upon returning from talks in Kyiv and Saint Petersburg that however did not yield any immediate results.

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The high-profile delegation met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday before flying to Russia to speak with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday.

“This initiative has been historic in that it is the first time African leaders have embarked on a peace mission beyond the shores of the continent,” Ramaphosa said in a weekly newsletter on Monday.

The mission brought the voice of a continent that has badly suffered from repercussions of the Ukraine conflict, particularly with rising grain prices.

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It put forward a 10-point proposal, including de-escalation, the recognition of countries’ sovereignty, unimpeded grain exports through the Black Sea and sending prisoners of war and children back to their countries of origin.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY AND VLADIMIR PUTIN HAVE AGREED TO FURTHER ENGAGEMENTS

But the principles were deemed “very difficult to implement” by the Kremlin, while Zelensky ruled out talks with Moscow as long as Russian troops occupied Ukrainian territories.

On Monday, Cyril Ramaphosa said “one of the key achievements” of the mission “was the positive reception” it received from both sides, “which we found encouraging and which provides cause for optimism that the proposals will be given consideration.”

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Both Zelensky and Putin have agreed to further engagements, he said.

Efforts to secure peace appear increasingly perilous, analysts told AFP, with both Kyiv and Moscow convinced they can win on the battlefield.

Ukraine launched a long-awaited counteroffensive earlier this month.

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“It is our hope that as the process moves forward, a foundation can be set for a de-escalation of the conflict and negotiation,” Ramaphosa wrote.

The diplomatic team included the presidents of South Africa, Senegal, Comoros and Zambia, as well as top officials from Uganda, Egypt and Congo-Brazzaville.