Zelenskyy’s SA Visit Highlights Ramaphosa’s Diplomatic Growth

(The Post News)- President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Pretoria this morning, in a visit being closely watched both at home and abroad.

The meeting, to be held at the Union Buildings, comes at a critical moment in global affairs and is expected to go beyond bilateral ties and into the thorny terrain of conflict mediation.

This will be the first visit by a Ukrainian head of state to South Africa, and officials say it’s a big step toward stronger cooperation between the two nations. The South African presidency confirmed that discussions will focus on expanding ties in areas like trade, agriculture, and education. But it’s the potential diplomatic ripple effects that have drawn the most attention.

In a written response to a parliamentary question from ActionSA’s Athol Trollip, Ramaphosa said the visit would include “a working session” to identify new areas of cooperation and reinforce political dialogue between the two countries. The presidency further clarified that Zelenskyy’s visit aligns with South Africa’s broader push to support peaceful solutions through dialogue.

Ramaphosa’s stance has remained clear: South Africa backs a negotiated, inclusive, and sustainable resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking previously in his capacity as part of the Africa Peace Initiative, Ramaphosa stated, “Given our history, South Africa believes that diplomacy and dialogue remain the only path to a sustainable and peaceful resolution of the conflict.”

He visited Ukraine in June 2023 under that same initiative and has since engaged directly with both President Vladimir Putin and President Zelenskyy. That ongoing communication with both leaders has raised the possibility that Ramaphosa could act as a bridge between the two sides. While nothing official has been announced in terms of mediation talks, the fact that both Moscow and Kyiv have kept lines open with Pretoria is being seen by some diplomatic observers as a sign of trust.

Liubov Abravitova, Ukraine’s ambassador to South Africa, previously described the relationship between the two countries as one with “room to grow”, especially given Ukraine’s interest in building ties beyond its traditional partners in Europe. With South Africa’s leadership in the Global South and its non-aligned stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, the country remains one of the few that has managed to maintain access to both capitals.

Officials from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said the visit is not only symbolic but carries the potential for tangible outcomes. “It provides an opportunity to deepen political ties and strengthen economic cooperation,” a DIRCO spokesperson said, adding that both leaders would also exchange views on global security. Although there’s little expectation that today’s talks will result in any immediate breakthroughs on the war front, there’s cautious optimism that Ramaphosa’s efforts could contribute to a broader diplomatic momentum.