Zelenskyy Says Does Not See Logic Of African Leaders' Trip To Russia

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th June, 2023) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that he did not understand the logic behind the decision of the African leaders to visit Russia on June 17.

"It is their decision, and it is not clear how logical it is. But they are the leaders of free states, so it is their choice," Zelenskyy told reporters after a meeting with the African leaders in Kiev.

Zane Dangor, Director General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, said in May that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as well as the leaders of five other African countries would visit Moscow and Kiev in June as part of a joint peace initiative.

Jean-Yves Ollivier, French businessman and founder of non-governmental organization Brazzaville Foundation, told Sputnik that the main purpose of the African peace mission is to help build a constructive dialogue between Russia and Ukraine. The negotiations will be held in both countries without preconditions, and the mission is the first one that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to receive, he added.

On Thursday, Putin said that on June 17 he was planning to receive a delegation of leaders of a number of African countries to discuss the peace initiative on the Ukrainian conflict.