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4d ago

Zelenskyy Meets Ramaphosa in Pretoria to Strengthen Ties and Discuss Ukraine-Russia Peace Prospects

The Ukrainian president's first visit to South Africa highlights Pretoria's potential role in mediating peace and advancing global governance reforms.

South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on his arrival ahead of talks with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria, South Africa April 24, 2025. Jacoline Schoonees/DIRCO/Handout via REUTERS
The remains of a building struck by a Russian ballistic missile in the Ukrainian capital on Thursday
Firefighters at the site of a Russian attack in Kharkiv
President Zelensky arriving in South Africa on Thursday. He is now heading back to Kyiv

Overview

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Pretoria for his first official visit to South Africa, meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa to deepen bilateral relations.
  • Discussions are expected to include South Africa's unique position as a BRICS member and its historical ties with Russia, which could facilitate mediation in Ukraine-Russia peace talks.
  • Zelenskyy’s visit builds on Ramaphosa's 2023 African-led peace mission to Kyiv and Moscow, which sought to broker a ceasefire and address grain and fertilizer shortages.
  • South Africa, under its G20 presidency, is also championing reforms to global governance, emphasizing a more inclusive and effective multilateral system.
  • Zelenskyy will continue his diplomatic efforts with planned meetings with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Czech President Petr Pavel, and attendance at Pope Francis’s farewell ceremony.