South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Ukraine on Friday as part of an African peace mission, the South African presidency said on Twitter.
Ramaphosa is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday and then travel to Russia for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday.
The Mission comprises the leaders of South Africa, Zambia, the Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, Senegal and Uganda,” the South African presidency said.
President Ramaphosa is scheduled to return home on Sunday, it added.
South African presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya confirmed late on Thursday that four African presidents – Ramaphosa, Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Union of Comoros Azali Assoumani and Senegalese President Macky Sall have departed to Kiev.
The leaders of the Republic of the Congo, Egypt and Uganda have sent their representatives, Magwenya said.