African nations to push for peace between Russia and Ukraine

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa is to call for a peace plan between Russia and Ukraine during a Russia-Africa summit this week.

The meeting, which begins on Thursday in the Russian city of St Petersburg, "will provide an opportunity to continue discussions with President (Vladimir) Putin on confidence-building measures," Ramaphosa said on Monday.

South Africa's president is leading an African peace initiative to end Russia's war of aggression on Ukraine. This has gained new urgency for African nations because of Moscow's recent decision to pull out of the international deal which triggered sharp international criticism.

The deal was struck to help secure supply for countries that rely on grain from the war-torn region. In June, an African delegation led by Ramaphosa travelled to Moscow and Kiev to mediate, but without any success.

Besides South Africa, the African delegation includes representatives from Egypt, Senegal, Zambia, the Republic of Congo, Uganda and the Comoros.

Many African states are suffering from the war because it has disrupted supplies of grain and fertiliser from Russia and Ukraine on which they depend.

Russia did not extend the agreement because it insists that conditions for facilitating its agricultural exports had not been met.

The United Nations condemned Russia for not extending the agreement, saying it will result in more deaths from starvation for people in the poorest regions who are already suffering severely.