Kyiv: Hours after taking cover from missile attacks on Kyiv, a delegation of African leaders met with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday and urged Russia and Ukraine to defuse the situation and engage in negotiations.
The high-level diplomatic delegation made their way to the Ukrainian capital to express the worries of a continent that has been impacted by the war's aftereffects, including rising grain prices. They described their journey as a "historic mission."
Air raid sirens began to sound all over the nation shortly after they arrived because Russian missiles had been spotted.
Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, said the missile barrage demonstrated that both sides needed to put an end to their hostilities after speaking with Zelensky.
He stated at a news conference that "this war must be ended and peace should be achieved through negotiations."
We remain steadfast in our call for de-escalation despite today's missile launch, the official continued.
Ramaphosa made the statement while quoting Nelson Mandela several times about the need for peace. "It is precisely that type of event that we saw today... that makes us call for de-escalation," he said.
Zelensky said he had made it clear to the African leaders that "allowing any talks with Russia now, when the occupier is on our land, means freezing the war, freezing pain and suffering." Zelensky rejected any negotiations with Moscow.
In a statement, he claimed that he had urged the leaders to express how they would stop the "crimes committed by Russia" and advance food security.
But first, we must stop this brutal Russian aggression, reinstate the full force of the UN Charter, and liberate our territory, he continued.
First, the African delegation travelled to Bucha, a town outside of Moscow that has come to be associated with alleged war crimes committed by Moscow.
Four presidents made up the delegation: Ramaphosa, Macky Sall of Senegal, Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, and Azali Assoumani of Comoros, who is in charge of the African Union.
At the last minute, the leaders of Uganda, Egypt, and Congo-Brazzaville cancelled their trips but sent representatives in their place.
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The negotiations took place as Ukraine reported successes in its latest offensive, but Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his assertion that Kiev's forces "stand no chance" in the areas where fighting has gotten more intense.
The South African president entered a shelter "as a precaution" when air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv, according to Ramaphosa's spokesman Vincent Magwenya.
The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have shot down 12 missiles, including six hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, after the attack.
No reported damage was done to the city itself, but seven people, including two children, were injured, according to the local police.
With what transpired today, Peter Stano, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, said, "It's very obvious also to the African leaders how sincere Putin is about stopping the conflict."
The African leaders were scheduled to meet with Putin on Saturday in Saint Petersburg, which is located in northwest Russia.
We believe it is crucial to pay close attention to what both nations have to say, and tomorrow we will now pay attention to President Putin, Ramaphosa said.
Russian strikes continued during the high-profile visit, Ukrainian officials were quick to point out.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that "Russian missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace."
The bombardment was denounced by France as well; according to a statement from the foreign ministry, it constituted "war crimes and cannot rest unpunished."
In response to the International Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant for the Russian president, Ramaphosa sidestepped a question about whether South Africa would detain Putin if he attended a BRICS summit there in August.
To avoid having to detain Putin, South Africa could allow another nation to host the summit.
"We are constantly talking about this issue... In the end, it is up to me to announce the details of how the BRICS summit will be held, Ramaphosa said.
Additionally, he declared that he and Putin would meet separately to talk about the summit.
Prior to a summit between Russia and Africa next month, analysts said the mediating effort might succeed in securing some concessions from the Kremlin.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, the price of grains and fertiliser has increased dramatically, and this has had a negative impact on world trade as a whole.
The livelihoods of 1.2 or 1.3 billion people on the African continent are being negatively impacted by this conflict, according to Ramaphosa.
Africa's response to the conflict has divided its nations, with some siding with Ukraine and others remaining neutral or leaning towards Moscow.
South Africa has come under fire for refusing to denounce the Russian offensive.
With African nations divided over how to respond to the war, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their diplomatic efforts.
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Putin has portrayed Moscow as a stronghold against the West, whom he also charges with obstructing Russian fertiliser exports.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, stated on Friday that Russia has recently witnessed "very dynamic development of our relations with African states."
After travelling by plane to Poland, where some of Ramaphosa's security personnel were denied permission to disembark and accused Polish authorities of racism, the African delegation took a train to Ukraine.
Some of the passengers, according to Warsaw, were not permitted to disembark the aircraft because they did not have authorization to bring weapons into the country.
