The mission of six African leaders to discuss a solution to the Ukraine conflict will visit Russia in June or July, Russia’s head of diplomacy Serguei Lavrov announced on Thursday.
“According to the wishes of the president [sul-africano] Cyril Ramaphosa, there is talk of mid/late June or early July” for the leaders’ visit to Russia, Lavrov said at a press conference quoted by France’s AFP agency.
In addition to South Africa, the mission includes Senegal, Zambia, Congo, Uganda and Egypt.
The mission is also expected to travel to Ukraine.
“The president [Vladimir Putin] is always ready to talk to our partners who are genuinely interested in stability in the world,” said Lavrov.
The foreign minister said Russia hopes to hear “concrete initiatives” from the African delegation.
African countries were less united than the major Western powers in denouncing the Russian military offensive in Ukraine ordered by Putin on February 24, 2022.
Countries such as Senegal and South Africa abstained from voting on a UN resolution condemning the offensive.
South Africa, which has been close to Moscow since the days of the ‘apartheid’ struggle, has always refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine and claims to remain neutral and to promote dialogue.
This stance was ill-received by Ukraine’s allies, especially after Pretoria hosted naval exercises with Russia and China in February just before the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, reigniting Western concerns.
The announcement of an African mission came after the US ambassador to Pretoria said a Russian freighter docked near Cape Town in December and returned to Russia loaded with weapons and ammunition.
South Africa said there was no record of state-approved arms sales to Russia and launched an investigation into the allegation.
The war in Ukraine plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
The number of dead and injured in the conflict is unknown, but several sources, including the UN, have admitted it will be high.
Ukraine’s Western allies have been supplying Kiev with weapons and have approved successive sanctions packages against Russian interests to try to reduce Moscow’s ability to fund the war effort.
Source: DN
