Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit South Africa next month, the African country’s presidency announced Friday.

“President Zelensky will be visiting South Africa on the 10th of April,” presidency spokesman Vincent Magwenya told AFP.

The visit “is a continuation of ongoing engagements” on “an inclusive peace process” between Russia and Ukraine, he said.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa last week invited Zelensky on a state visit, after heavy criticism of moves by Russia and the United States to negotiate an end to the war through a process to which neither Ukraine nor its European allies were invited.

“South Africa remains committed to supporting the dialogue process between Russia and Ukraine,” Ramaphosa said in a post on X.

The two leaders have a “constructive engagement” and agree on “the urgent need for an inclusive peace process that involves all parties,” Ramaphosa said.

Zelensky thanked Ramaphosa for supporting “Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and said he hoped for peace this year.

“It is important that our countries share the same position: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” Zelensky said on X last week.

AFP