Putin, Zelenskyy agree to meet with 'African leaders peace mission,' says Ramaphosa

CAPE TOWN, May 17:  Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have agreed to separate meetings with a delegation of leaders from six African countries to discuss a possible plan to end the war in Ukraine, South Africa's president said Tuesday.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he spoke with Putin and Zelenskyy by phone over the weekend and they each agreed to host "an African leaders peace mission" in Moscow and Kyiv, respectively.
"Principal to our discussions are efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the devastating conflict in the Ukraine," Ramaphosa said.
The leaders of Zambia, Senegal, Republic of Congo, Uganda and Egypt would make up the delegation along with Ramaphosa, he said in a statement. Putin and Zelenskyy gave him the go-ahead to "commence the preparations," the South African leader said.
Four of those six African countries - South Africa, Republic of Congo, Senegal and Uganda - abstained from a U.N. vote last year on condemning Russia's invasion. Zambia and Egypt voted in favor of the motion.Ramaphosa did not give a time frame or outline any parameters for the possible peace talks. Zelenskyy has said he would not consider a peace deal to end the 15-month war until Russian forces withdraw completely from Ukrainian territory.
U.N. Secretary-General Ant�nio Guterres also was briefed on the African delegation's planned meetings and "welcomed the initiative," Ramaphosa said.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed Monday that Ramaphosa spoke to Gutteres Monday afternoon during his visit to Jamaica.
"As we've said before, we are in favor of any initiative that could lead us to a peace in line with the (U.N.) Charter, in line with international law and in line with General Assembly resolutions," Dujarric said.
The announcement of the African-led peace effort came as Russia launched a heavy air attack on Kyiv.
There was no immediate reaction Tuesday from either the Kremlin or Kyiv. A readout from a phone conversation Putin and Ramaphosa had Friday said the Russian leader supported "Cyril Ramaphosa's idea about a group of African leaders participating in the discussion of the prospects of resolving the Ukrainian conflict."
It wasn't clear if that was the phone call Ramaphosa was referring to when he said he spoke with Putin over the weekend.
South Africa's leading position in the African delegation is bound to draw scrutiny. Ramaphosa's announcement came days after the U.S. ambassador accused South Africa of siding with Russia in the war in Ukraine and even providing weapons to help Moscow.
U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety alleged last week that weapons and ammunition were loaded onto a Russian-flagged cargo ship at a South African naval base in December and taken to Russia. The South African government has denied it sent any weapons to Russia.
Ramaphosa has said the matter is under investigation.    �AP