On Ukraine-Russia trip, South African leader’s delegation stuck at Polish airport over arms permits

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A delegation of security officials, diplomats and journalists accompanying South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on his peace mission to Ukraine and Russia was stranded in a separately chartered plane at Warsaw’s airport for more than 24 hours. Polish authorities said on Friday that the problem was over permissions for firearms. Ramaphosa is among a group of African leaders visiting Kyiv and Moscow on a mission to encourage a resolution to Russia’s war on Ukraine. The Poland Border Guard agency says the security detail didn’t have permission for the weapons they were carrying, which resulted in a standoff. Ramaphosa’s office has described the incident as “very unfortunate and deeply regrettable” but said his security wasn’t compromised.