
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a delegation of African leaders on a peace mission to Ukraine and Russia this week amid attempts to assuage Western concerns that South Africa is siding with Russia in the conflict despite its proclaimed neutrality – which has Ramaphosa doing a round of diplomatic damage control.
Ramaphosa had a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday, June 9 to brief Beijing about the upcoming visit by seven African leaders to Ukraine and Russia to "find a peaceful solution" to the war in Ukraine.