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Zelenskyy invites leader of Africa's second-largest country to Ukraine

Zelenskyy invites leader of Africa's second-largest country to Ukraine Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
Author: Daryna Vialko

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with his counterpart from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, and invited him to Ukraine for a personal discussion on future plans, according to Zelenskyy’s post on X.

What the presidents discussed

During the conversation, Zelenskyy thanked the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for showing solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

"We talked about the importance of achieving peace, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the development of our bilateral relations," Zelenskyy said.

According to him, Ukraine is ready to cooperate with the DRC in several areas, including:

  • Defense cooperation

  • Agricultural technologies

  • Energy decentralization

  • Digitalization of public services

"The DRC is interested, and we agreed that our teams will work through all the issues necessary for a mutually beneficial partnership," the President added.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has joined the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, an initiative launched by President Zelenskyy.

Ukraine and the DRC established diplomatic relations back in 1999, but cooperation has accelerated in recent years.

In April 2024, a new Ukrainian embassy officially opened in the DRC on Zelenskyy’s initiative. Earlier, in March of the same year, the DRC opened a consulate in Uzhhorod, Ukraine.