South Africa will soon welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a state visit, as confirmed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in a post on X. However, no exact date has been provided for the trip.
The invitation comes just as Ukraine finds itself left out of recent discussions between the US and Russia about ending the war, which has now entered its third year. While diplomatic efforts are ongoing, Kyiv remains absent from key negotiations.
In a recent phone call, Ramaphosa and Zelensky “agreed on the urgent need for an inclusive peace process,” according to an official statement from the South African presidency. Zelensky reinforced this stance, stating, “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
South Africa has often been viewed as leaning toward Russia but has also sought to mediate an end to the war. The country has positioned itself as a neutral player, advocating for dialogue rather than military solutions.
In 2023, Ramaphosa led an African peace mission that included representatives from Egypt, Senegal, Zambia, and Uganda. The delegation met separately with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, aiming to push for negotiations between the two sides.
South Africa has a long history of cooperation with Russia and is also part of Brics, a group of emerging economies that includes Brazil, India, and China. The alliance has strengthened economic and political ties among its members in recent years.
Ramaphosa, in a post shared on his X page, said: “I welcome the constructive engagement I had with President [Zelensky] and I look forward to hosting him in South Africa soon for a state visit.”
Zelensky, on his part, said he had thanked Ramaphosa for “South Africa’s support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” in their conversation. “We all hope to achieve a just and lasting peace this year,” he added.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ramaphosa and Zelensky have spoken on multiple occasions and have also met in person. Despite Zelensky’s previous interest in visiting South Africa, the trip had not been arranged—until now.
During the International Food Summit last December, Zelensky told African journalists that he was willing to travel to South Africa but suggested that the timing was up to Ramaphosa.
“I will be in Pretoria with pleasure, but you must ask Mr Ramaphosa because I think he is more busy,” he told the publication.
Dr. Oscar van Heerden, a political analyst at the University of Johannesburg, called the upcoming visit a “brilliant” strategic move for South Africa. He noted that it would allow Kyiv to voice its concerns about being left out of US-Russia talks while also elevating South Africa’s diplomatic influence.
“Ramaphosa is being clever because [US President Donald] Trump might want to dismiss South Africa as a… small African country but we are yet again able to demonstrate that we can operate above our station internationally.”
He further suggested that Zelensky sees South Africa as an important player due to its relationship with Russia and its potential role as a neutral mediator.
Zelensky’s efforts to engage with world leaders come at a time of increasing tensions between Ukraine and the US, a country that has been one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters. However, relations have become more uncertain in recent months.
Tensions escalated further this week when Trump accused Zelensky of being a “dictator” who has “done a terrible job.”
South Africa’s invitation also comes amid its own strained ties with the US. Washington recently withdrew financial assistance to the country in response to its new land expropriation policy.
Ramaphosa has since stated that his government “will not be bullied.”
