Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to host a delegation of African heads of state who plan to visit Moscow to present their peace initiative to end the Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
The agreement was reached in a phone call with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, during which both leaders discussed issues pertaining to the "well-known African initiative" and "key aspects of the further development of bilateral strategic partnership."
Six African leaders seeking to mediate a resolution to the fighting decided on Monday to travel to both Moscow and Kiev in mid-June.
Ramaphosa's office said on Tuesday, after a previous meeting with his counterparts, that the foreign ministers of the Comoros Islands, Egypt, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and South Africa have been tasked to "finalize the elements of a roadmap towards peace" ahead of the mission.
The Kremlin said Putin and the South African leader also discussed preparations for the second Russia-Africa summit, which will take place in late July in St. Petersburg and will bring together Russian and African officials to deliberate and strengthen bilateral relations. The summit's goal is to boost Russia-Africa cooperation in a variety of areas, including trade, investment, and technology transfer.
The upcoming BRICS summit scheduled to take place in Johannesburg in August was also highlighted, with both leaders expressing "commitment to continuing close coordination between Russia and South Africa on international platforms."