Ramaphosa invites Zelensky for state visit amid US-Russia talks

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited Volodymyr Zelensky, his Ukrainian counterpart, for a state visit.

In a post shared on X on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said he had a prior “constructive engagement” with Zelensky.

“We both agreed on the urgent need for an inclusive peace process that involves all parties in finding a resolution to the conflict and securing a lasting peace,” the South African president wrote.

Ramaphosa’s invite to Zelensky comes as the United States and Russia commenced negotiations aimed at ending the three-year war—a process Ukraine has not been a part of.

Zelensky warned that Ukraine would not accept any decisions taken on its behalf in the talks.

South Africa has historically maintained strong ties with Russia, largely due to its membership in BRICS.

At the same time, South Africa has also fostered ties with Ukraine, positioning itself as a nation that engages with both sides of the ongoing conflict.

In 2023, Ramaphosa led a delegation comprising seven African countries, including Egypt, Senegal, Zambia, and Uganda to meet Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This neutral position contrasted with the US stance, which traditionally favours Ukraine while remaining wary of Russia.

However, under the new President Donald Trump administration, the dynamics have shifted.

While Zelensky has continued engagement with world leaders, an increasingly tense relationship with Trump has festered.

The tension took a turn for the worse recently when Trump accused Zelensky of starting the war.

In response, Zelensky said Trump was living in a Russian disinformation bubble while the US president labelled him a “dictator” who has “done a terrible job”.

The warming of relations with Russia has drawn concern from European leaders.

In recent times, Trump also threatened to halt all aid to South Africa, accusing the nation of enacting “racist” policies.

Ramaphosa rejected the allegations and said he was open to dialogue with Trump.

The South African president did not state when Zelensky’s state visit would happen.

He said the country remains committed to supporting the dialogue process between Russia and Ukraine.