South Africa says Zelenskyy will visit in April as part of its ongoing talks with Ukraine and Russia

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit South Africa next month for talks with South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa on finding “a path to peace” with Russia, a spokesperson for Ramaphosa said Friday.

Zelenskyy’s visit on April 10 will be a continuation of Ramaphosa’s ongoing engagements with both Ukraine and Russia for “an inclusive peace process,” spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.

South Africa has adopted a neutral position in the war and has attempted to act as a mediator between the sides, although with limited success. Ramaphosa led an African peace mission to Russia and Ukraine in 2023 and met with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ramaphosa has held separate calls with both leaders since then.

South Africa has ties to Russia through its membership of the BRICS bloc of developing nations and Ramaphosa had hoped to leverage that to find a way to advance talks.

Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has sought to shore up support for his nation after a disastrous meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last week. Trump has halted American military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy to find an end to the three-year war, while the U.S. excluded Ukraine and other European allies when it met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia over a possible peace deal last month.

South Africa says that Ukraine must be included in peace talks, echoing a call by European leaders.

Ramaphosa is due to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa next week in Cape Town at an annual European Union-South Africa summit.

South Africa holds the presidency of the Group of 20 this year and has called for cooperation among that bloc — which includes the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and Germany — to find an end to the war in Ukraine.

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AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa