South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Ukraine-Russia war should end now. A media report said that Ramaphosa said on Saturday at the 18th-century Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg that the war should be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic means.

Ramaphosa was there with a delegation consisting of seven African leaders. At the same time, Ramaphosa arrived in St. Petersburg of the Russian Federation on Saturday to continue the African peace mission in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. According to the report, Ramaphosa said that this war is having a negative impact on the African continent and indeed many other countries around the world.

According to the report, Putin praised the African countries' balanced approach to the Ukraine conflict. Putin told the visiting leaders that we welcome the balanced approach of African friends on the Ukraine crisis. Also said that we are ready for constructive dialogue with all those who seek peace based on the principles of respect for each other's interests as well as justice.

He said that Russia has never ruled out talks with the Ukrainian side. Putin said the food crisis was caused by the actions of Western countries, not Russia's so-called special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian leader also said Ukrainian grain exports under a deal ensuring its safe passage through the Black Sea were not helping solve Africa's problems with high global food prices.