South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Ukraine alongside a group of African leaders with the aim of mediating peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow.

The delegation, consisting of four presidents and three representatives, is scheduled to hold discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv before traveling to Saint Petersburg to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This high-profile diplomatic team intends to bring the perspective of a continent that has been severely affected by escalating grain prices and the broader impact on global trade since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Despite the absence of three initially planned leaders, including Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the mission continues with the participation of prominent African figures like Senegal’s Macky Sall and Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema.