South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday added his voice to diplomatic pressure to end the war in Ukraine. Ramaphosa called for a meeting between the leaders of both Kyiv and Moscow, according to a statement from Pretoria. The calls come as hopes for a Russia-Ukraine summit appeared to fade, despite some recent efforts by the US President.
US President Donald Trump had raised expectations, but later likened the two leaders to “oil and vinegar” on social media. Kyiv and Moscow have both continued to blame each other for the stalled peace efforts that have deeply frustrated global leaders.
President Ramaphosa stressed the urgency of holding bilateral and trilateral meetings as a key to signaling a firm commitment to ending the war. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated on social media his willingness to hold “any format of meeting with the head of Russia.”
However, Zelensky said he believes Moscow is once again trying to stall and drag out the peace talks even further. Pretoria’s statement said Ramaphosa, who chairs the G20, was expected to speak with other European leaders in the coming weeks.
The South African president had spoken on Monday with Vladimir Putin, whom he described as a “dear ally” in the past. For the first time since Russia’s attack, South Africa voted for a UN resolution declaring that Russia launched a full-scale invasion.