South African President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized that peace talks between Ukraine and Russia should begin without preconditions, such as Ukraine conceding land to Russia. Ramaphosa’s statement came during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday.
This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of Zelensky for refusing to acknowledge Russia’s occupation of Crimea as part of a U.S.-brokered peace deal. South Africa, while maintaining good relations with Russia as a member of the BRICS group, has positioned itself as neutral on the ongoing war in Ukraine.
When asked about the possibility of Ukraine having to cede territory to Russia in peace talks, Ramaphosa said, “That matter should be addressed at the negotiating table.” He also referenced South Africa’s own history, explaining that the negotiations that ended apartheid were conducted without preconditions.
Zelensky arrived in South Africa amidst continued Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, which resulted in at least eight fatalities. Due to the attacks, Zelensky cut short his visit, his first to an African country, to return to Ukraine.
Zelensky has been seeking international support for Ukraine’s efforts amid growing pressure from Trump. He reiterated that negotiations could not begin until a full ceasefire was in place.
Ramaphosa also held discussions with both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin this week regarding the peace process, but past mediation efforts, including one in Kyiv in 2023, have failed to achieve substantial progress.