Ukrainian activist brings Ukraine war dialogue to Africa

Dar es Salaam. As the war in Ukraine rages on past its third year, one Ukrainian national is taking a different approach to diplomacy-by listening.

Mr Peter Zalmayev, a prominent commentator and director of the New York–Kyiv-based Eurasia Democracy Initiative, is currently on a 40-country world tour across Africa and the South Pacific to engage local voices on the conflict.

Mr Zalmayev arrived in Tanzania this week, marking his 12th African country on the journey that has already taken him through Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa.

His aim is simple yet profound: to foster global understanding of the Ukraine war by encouraging dialogue in regions often overlooked in geopolitical discourse.

“African countries are uniquely positioned to help mediate this war,” Zalmayev told The Citizen, adding: “Unlike many Western nations, they maintain open diplomatic channels with both Russia and Ukraine. That alone is a powerful opportunity for peace.”

The tour, which spans a full year, includes 40 nations across Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. Along the way, Mr Zalmayev has engaged with politicians, journalists, and civil society leaders.

In Australia, he sat down with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and made appearances on ABC TV and radio. In New Zealand, he spoke with Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters.

His African media stops include appearances on SABC, Radio 702, Daily Maverick, Lesotho TV, NBC Namibia, Botswana TV, Eswatini TV, ZNBC, and Diamond TV, among others. While in Cape Town, he shared a public stage with Booker Prize-winning author Damon Galgut.

This media-driven diplomacy, Mr Zalmayev says, is about building “mutual empathy” and “telling the Ukrainian story to communities who may only be seeing one side.”

Mr Zalmayev paints a grim picture of Ukraine’s current situation. More than 6 million people have fled the country, leaving behind a shrinking and aging population.

“Ukraine faces a demographic crisis that will take generations to repair. And for those who remain, life is haunted by the sound of regular bombardments,” he said.

Despite the suffering, Mr Zalmayev believes that both sides, Ukraine and Russia want to end. “The battlefield has claimed thousands of lives. The people are tired. They want peace.”

However, he sees the geopolitical climate complicating those efforts, especially with the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency.

“Trump has made promises to end the war in a day, but in reality, his administration handed concessions to Putin that emboldened the invasion,” Zalmayev claimed, adding: “The stakes have only gotten higher.”

Mr Zalmayev is also critical of the West’s long-standing but unfulfilled promises of NATO membership for Ukraine. “They dangled NATO like a carrot. But never followed through. That sent the wrong signal,” he said.

Rebuilding Ukraine, he estimates, will require over a trillion dollars, a staggering sum that underscores the scale of destruction. “This isn’t just a military crisis, it’s a humanitarian and infrastructural catastrophe.”

Mr Zalmayev’s tour also reflects Ukraine’s renewed interest in Africa. Since the war began, Ukraine has opened 10 new embassies across the continent, aiming to strengthen ties and counterbalance Russian influence.

As he continues his journey through 30 more African nations, Mr Zalmayev remains hopeful. “Africa is listening, and more importantly, Africa is speaking. We just need to keep the conversation going.”