In April, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will make an official visit to South Africa, where he will negotiate with the President of this country with Ramafoso Siril. The visit is scheduled for April 10 and will be an important stage in Ukraine's International Diplomacy aimed at expanding support in the global south.
According to the spokesman of the President of South Africa Vincent Magveny, the meeting of Zelensky and Ramafos will focus on discussing possible ways of reaching peace between Ukraine and Russia. "A visit is a continuation of the current agreements of President Ramafos with President Putin and President Zelensky on an inclusive peace process that will provide a path to peace between Russia and Ukraine," Magveny said.
South Africa officially announced its neutral stance on the war in Ukraine. However, this country has repeatedly criticized for possible relations with Russia. In 2023, Ramafos Syril headed the peaceful initiative of six African states, which aimed to facilitate the end of the war, but it did not produce real results.
Zelensky's meeting and Ramafos will take place at a time when both countries are trying to establish relations with the US President Donald Trump. For Ukraine, the development of diplomatic ties with South Africa is part of a broader strategy for strengthening relations with Africa and the Global South. Since the beginning of the full -scale war, Ukraine has intensified its work with African countries to counteract Russian propaganda and attract new international partners in Kyiv support.
In particular, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has carried out several diplomatic tours of Africa, trying to attract African leaders in the peace process and receive support on international platforms. Zelensky's visit to South Africa can be another step in expanding Ukraine's international support in the struggle for territorial integrity and sovereignty.
