Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday announced meeting with journalists drawn from different African countries and discussed the situation on grain exports and Russian aggression against global food stability.
Through a statement released on his official Twitter handle, President Zelensky said he met with representatives of African newspapers, radio, television from South Africa, Nigeria , Kenya , Uganda , Ghana , Benin and Côte d’Ivoire.
“They were not only in Kyiv, but also in Kherson region and Bucha, where they talked to the families of the victims of this war. Every time journalists from other countries come to Ukraine and see the consequences of Russian aggression with their own eyes, they return home with the truth about this war,” President Zelensky said in the statement.
Kenya was represented by Standard Group journalist Zubeidah Kananu, who is also the Kenya Editors Guild president.
Zelensky said meeting with journalists is helping to keep and increase the world’s attention to Ukraine, and to its struggle for freedom against the Russian invasion that started in February 2023.
“And I am grateful to everyone in the world media who honestly tells their audience what they see in our region, in our country,” he said.
This is seen among Ukraine’s efforts to amplify its voice amidst what it terms as Russian propaganda in the war.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has held previous virtual media briefings focused on African journalists.
In November last year, for instance, Kuleba addressed a virtual media briefing, where he announced 60 vessels would be sent to Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, DRC, Kenya, Yemen, and Nigeria, among others, under the Grain From Ukraine programme.
Amid fatigue in the media about the war on Ukraine, Zelensky has been working to maintain international attention on the conflict, speaking about its importance on numerous occasions, urging the international community to continue to supply it and Ukrainians to continue to demand it.
On his part, he has been touring various countries and other global events, while also receiving high-profile guests. He has also been releasing recorded addresses on various social media outlets.
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