South Africa has adopted a neutral position in the war and has attempted to act as a mediator between the sides, although with limited success
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit South Africa next month for talks with South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa on finding “a path to peace” with Russia, a spokesperson for Ramaphosa said.
Zelenskyy’s visit on April 10 will be a continuation of Ramaphosa’s ongoing engagements with both Ukraine and Russia for “an inclusive peace process,” spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
South Africa has adopted a neutral position in the war and has attempted to act as a mediator between the sides, although with limited success. Ramaphosa led an African peace mission to Russia and Ukraine in 2023 and met with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ramaphosa has held separate calls with both leaders since then.
South Africa has ties to Russia through its membership of the BRICS bloc of developing nations and Ramaphosa had hoped to leverage that to find a way to advance talks.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has sought to shore up support for his nation after a disastrous meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last week. Trump has halted American military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy to find an end to the three-year war, while the U.S. excluded Ukraine and other European allies when it met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia over a possible peace deal last month.
South Africa says that Ukraine must be included in peace talks, echoing a call by European leaders. Ramaphosa is due to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa next week in Cape Town at an annual European Union-South Africa summit. South Africa holds the presidency of the Group of 20 this year and has called for cooperation among that bloc — which includes the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and Germany — to find an end to the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy shared on Saturday details of the upcoming meeting between American and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia for negotiating peace talks as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to rage on.
He also said that a meeting took place between the diplomatic teams of the UK and Ukraine to discuss steps to achieve peace.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said, “Today, a highly productive meeting took place in Kyiv between the diplomatic teams of Ukraine and the UK. We discussed our joint steps that could bring us closer to peace and accelerate diplomatic efforts. I’m grateful for the support. Ukraine is determined to do everything to end this war with a just and lasting peace as soon as possible.”
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed strong appreciation for the support Ukraine has received during a European leaders summit in London on March 2, focused on Ukraine’s future and its relationship with Europe.
During his recent visit to the UK, Zelenskyy and UK PM Keir Starmer discussed the challenges facing Ukraine and Europe, and efforts to achieve a just peace with strong security guarantees.
Earlier this year, the UK and Ukraine signed a 100-year partnership agreement, which had given a call for Ukraine’s recovery and committed towards fostering technological innovation along with focus on several other areas.
The Ukrainian President further said that next week, he will visit Saudi Arabia, where he will hold a meeting with the Crown Prince, followed by a meeting with the American team. “Next week, I will begin with a visit to Saudi Arabia. After my meeting on Monday with the Crown Prince, Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives will stay for a meeting on Tuesday with the American team. The Ukrainian team will include Andriy Yermak, Andriy Sybiha, Rustem Umerov, and Pavlo Palisa,” he stated in his post.
“On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps. Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively,” Zelenskyy added.
Meanwhile, US envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed he would meet Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia, and would discuss an “initial ceasefire” and a “framework” for a longer agreement, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Notably, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the talks would take place in Jeddah. Al Jazeera reported that this will be the first high-level gathering of US and Ukrainian officials since the February 28 meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump.
