KIEV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to the African Union (AU) for assistance in combating Russian aggression and has requested an audience with the continental body.

On Monday, Zelensky spoke with Senegalese President Macky Sall about an African Union declaration from February calling for an urgent ceasefire and a resumption to discussions between Russia and Ukraine. According to reports, African nations have shown divisiveness in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Senegal was one of 17 African countries to vote no on a UN resolution calling for Russia to stop its military actions in Ukraine.

Zelensky said he briefed Sall, the AU's current president, on the Ukrainian struggle against the Russian invasion "and the aggressor's awful atrocities." In a social media message, Sall acknowledged the request, saying that Zelensky, who has made several requests to global leaders and lawmakers, also wants to speak at the AU. In a tweet, Zelensky informed Sall about Ukraine's "fight against invasion and horrible acts of the Russian invader" during their phone chat.

According to the latest United Nations figures, the war in Ukraine has pushed 4.3 million people to flee the country, which is now in its seventh week. An additional 7.1 million people have been internally displaced. According to Zelensky, tens of thousands of people have killed in the fight, while the exact figure is unknown.

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