May 17. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Government of the United States has announced this Tuesday that it maintains contacts with African countries on various issues, including the war in Ukraine, after the Russian and Ukrainian authorities have agreed to receive a peace mission from African countries.
“We remain deeply engaged with our partners on the African continent on a variety of issues, including, of course, the highly troubling and brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine,” US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said at a conference. press.
Patel, who has been asked by journalists about the African peace initiative, has criticized that Russia “has not yet shown any significant interest in ending this war.”
“Let’s not forget, when we talk about previous peace plans from various corners of the world, that President (Ukrainian, Volodimir) Zelensky, has presented a peace plan, and the Russians continue to not commit themselves in good faith and, instead, send drones and missiles into Ukraine, attacking apartment buildings, hospitals, infrastructure and civilians,” he denounced.
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, reported on Tuesday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to “host a mission of several African heads of state in Moscow and Kiev”, which would also be promoted by Zambia, Senegal, the Republic of Congo, Uganda and Egypt.
“The main of our discussions are the efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the devastating conflict in Ukraine, its cost in human lives and the impact on the African continent”, stressed President Ramaphosa, adding that “Africa is concerned about the crisis in Ukraine, which directly affects African countries and causes the increase in food and fuel prices”.
Ramaphosa has recently defended his position of “non-alignment” in the Ukrainian conflict and has ensured that this equidistance does not favor the invading country, thus responding to accusations by the United States about an alleged shipment of weapons from Pretoria.