President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit South Africa on April 10 to meet with the country's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, and discuss efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on March 7.
"The visit is a continuation of ongoing engagements held by President Ramaphosa with President Putin and President Zelensky on an inclusive peace process that will provide a path to peace between Russia and Ukraine," said Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya.
South Africa, the continent's largest economy, has maintained a neutral stance in the war while deepening its economic and political ties with Moscow. The country is a member of the BRICS group alongside Russia and China and conducted joint naval drills with both nations while resisting Western calls to distance itself from the Kremlin.
Ramaphosa previously led a peace initiative in 2023 alongside leaders from five other African nations, but the effort failed to yield concrete results. During a visit to Kyiv on June 16, 2023, he presented a 10-point peace plan as part of the African Peace Mission.
Zelensky's rare upcoming visit is part of a diplomatic outreach to Africa as Kyiv seeks broader global support before upcoming peace negotiations.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
