President Cyril Ramaphosa praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky throughout his first go to to South Africa on Thursday for agreeing to an unconditional ceasefire within the struggle with Russia in order that peace talks may start.
Ramaphosa threw South Africa’s weight behind the push for an finish to the greater than three-year struggle, holding talks with Zelensky hours after agreeing in a name with US President Donald Trump that the battle needs to be ended urgently.
“It’s a good sign from President Zelensky that Ukraine is agreeable to an unconditional ceasefire in order that discussions and negotiations can then ensue,” Ramaphosa instructed reporters after talks with the Ukrainian chief.
“It’s a confidence-building measure that needs to be a key ingredient in a negotiation course of.”
Even whereas welcoming Zelensky to South Africa, Ramaphosa has maintained heat ties with Russia, a historic ally of the post-apartheid authorities for its help within the battle towards white-minority rule.
He stated he had spoken to Putin earlier within the week and “we each dedicated to work collectively in the direction of a peaceable decision of the Russia-Ukraine battle”.
Earlier on Thursday, he spoke with Trump they usually agreed “that the struggle needs to be dropped at an finish as quickly as doable to cease additional pointless deaths”, the South African president stated.
They might “meet quickly to deal with numerous issues relating to US-South Africa relations,” he stated, referring to a nosedive in bilateral ties after Trump got here to energy this yr.
US assaults on numerous South African home and worldwide insurance policies culminated within the slicing of assist and expulsion of Pretoria’s ambassador final month.
Ramaphosa stated his nation was able to play a job within the “inclusive multilateral efforts” to succeed in peace in Ukraine.
“And we name upon all events, each Russia and Ukraine, to make sure that there’s a complete ceasefire, an unconditional ceasefire, in order that discussions and negotiations can begin between the 2 international locations.”
United for peace
Zelensky stated he believed South Africa’s backing “will assist cease Russia and pressure Putin to help… an entire unconditional ceasefire,” in response to translated remarks launched by the South African authorities.
World efforts must be as “united as doable” to stress Russia, he stated.
The G20 group of main economies, which is that this yr below South Africa’s presidency and convenes a summit in November, additionally has a job within the “defence of life”, Zelensky stated.
“And we’re very a lot relying on it.”
He had handed Ramaphosa a listing of 400 Ukrainian youngsters allegedly being held in Russia “towards their will” within the hopes South Africa may assist to safe their return, he added.
Ukraine additionally wished to construct ties with South Africa, together with in power safety and industries akin to fertiliser manufacturing, he stated.
Hours after arriving in South Africa early Thursday, the Ukrainian chief stated he would reduce quick his journey to return to Kyiv after the capital was hit at daybreak by the deadliest strike in months, with a dozen individuals killed.
Ramaphosa’s invitation to Zelensky to go to was seen as a shift in Pretoria’s non-aligned stance on the struggle, which started in 2022.
In February for the primary time, Pretoria joined a UN Basic Meeting decision criticising Russia for “the full-scale invasion of Ukraine”.
South Africa believes it might work with either side and facilitate an inclusive peace course of, drawing by itself comparatively easy transition out of apartheid in 1994 after many years of armed battle.
“The negotiations that introduced an finish to the nightmare of apartheid had been held on a no-precondition foundation,” Ramaphosa stated, urging Moscow and Kyiv to observe that instance.
The South African chief stated Zelensky had taken “important strides” in increasing Ukraine’s relations with the African continent.
Moscow’s personal affect in Africa has been rising, together with militarily, and it has been attempting to construct new partnerships after being remoted by the West for its offensive towards Ukraine.
© Agence France-Presse
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