Cease fire, open political negotiations – AU to Russia, Ukraine

AU leaders

The African Union (AU) has expressed extreme concern at “the very serious and dangerous situation created in Ukraine.”

AU Chair Macky Sall, President of Senegal, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed this concern in a statement.  

They called on the Russian Federation and any other regional or international actor to imperatively respect international law, the territorial integrity and the national sovereignty of Ukraine.

The Chair of the African Union and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission urged the two parties to establish an immediate ceasefire and to open political negotiations without delay, under the auspices of the United Nations, in order to preserve the world from the consequences of planetary conflict, and in the interests of peace and stability in international relations in service of all the peoples of the world.

The assault on Ukraine is ongoing on several fronts after Russia launched attacks from the east, north and south on Thursday.

Ukraine has reported that scores of people have been killed, while thousands have fled the country.