On July 18, the world celebrates Nelson Mandela International Day to honor the memory and values of the fighter for freedom and justice on the African continent.

For the nations of the world, Nelson Mandela's "path to freedom" remains a guideline to democracy and social justice. The figure of the South African leader himself is an example of an uncompromising struggle for human rights, freedom, dignity and justice.

These same values have always been defended by the people of Ukraine.

During the struggle against apartheid, Ukraine supported the South Africans. As one of the Soviet republics and a founding member of the United Nations, our country's voice has always been on the side of the fight against the regime of injustice and humiliation of human rights. Many African freedom fighters received military training and education in Ukraine.

Today, Ukraine is fighting for its freedom, and its people are defending the right to be a free nation. The ideas and values that Nelson Mandela defended still need to be supported and affirmed in the modern world.

We believe that the South African people, by their values, will never be on the side of an aggressor-imperialist who unleashed a war and violated the borders of a sovereign state, continuing to commit war crimes on its territory on a daily basis.

The desire for peace was also demonstrated by the delegation of African leaders who visited Kyiv in June of this year. During the visit, they raised important issues regarding the return of Ukrainian children illegally taken by Russia as well as food security, which is the key to prosperity in African countries.

We emphasize that peace in Ukraine is possible only if its territory is liberated from the occupying forces. At the same time, we are making every effort to preserve food exports and aid to African countries, even against the backdrop of Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has hit the food security of many African countries.

On the occasion of Mandela Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on the leaders of the African continent to take a principled stand on the war against the Ukrainian people, brutally unleashed by Russia in violation of international law and the democratic values of modern humanity.

The condemnation of the aggressor country is consistent with the common values and principles of the Ukrainian and South African peoples and honors the memory of the great freedom fighter.