Ukraine’s Zelenskyy arrives in South Africa for state visit following Trump’s renewed criticism

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in South Africa for a state visit Thursday following U.S. President Donald Trump’s new accusations that he is prolonging the war against Russia by pushing back against any plan to give up Ukrainian territory in a peace deal.

Zelenskyy landed in South Africa overnight and was traveling around the time Trump said the Ukrainian leader was prolonging the "killing field" by refusing to cede illegally occupied Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan.

While Zelenskyy was traveling, a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack hit Kyiv, killing nine people and injuring another 63, including six children, Ukrainian authorities said.

Peace negotiations over ending war, now in its fourth year, have appeared to stall. Talks involving U.S., European and Ukrainian officials in London on Wednesday were scaled down and made limited progress after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled his attendance, raising doubts about the direction of negotiations.

Zelenskyy will meet with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the government Union Buildings in Pretoria later Thursday and their discussions will include "areas of cooperation with the objective to support efforts to bring lasting peace," according to Ramaphosa’s office.

Ramaphosa has put himself forward as a possible mediator in the war due to South Africa’s ties with Russia through the BRICS bloc of developing nations, although his efforts have produced little concrete progress.

Ramaphosa said he spoke on a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday and the two leaders had "committed to working together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict."

Zelenskyy has questioned Russia’s commitment to peace, saying an Easter ceasefire announced by Putin was not genuine and Moscow continued to launch attacks on Ukraine.