South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo: REUTERS/Esa Alexander)

Details of the plan have not been publicly divulged, although Ukraine's stated position for any peace deal is that all Russian troops must withdraw from its territory.

Putin and Zelenskiy had agreed to receive the mission in their respective capitals Moscow and Kyiv, a South African Presidency statement said

The peace plan is also backed by African leaders of Senegal, Uganda, Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, and Zambia.

Ramaphosa said the United States and Britain had expressed "cautious" support for the plan and the UN Secretary General had also been briefed about the initiative.