Cyril Ramaphosa Pushes for State Visit From Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, Sparks Mixed Reactions
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the country for a state visit
- The presidency confirmed that Ramaphosa was more than happy to facilitate talks between Russia and Ukraine if needed
- South Africans are divided over the president's plans, with some saying he needed to focus on problems within the country
Don't miss out! Join Briefly News Sports channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues. He spent 10 years working for a community newspaper before transitioning to online
GAUTENG - President Cyril Ramaphosa's latest diplomatic decision has sparked online debate.
According to the presidency, the South African leader has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the country for a state visit.
News of the invitation was made public this week following reports that Donald Trump had insulted and shunned the Ukrainian president.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
President eager for state visit to happen
According to presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, Ramaphosa is eager for the visit to happen as soon as possible. A formal invitation was already issued in January 2025, but efforts have since been picking up steam.
While no date has been agreed upon as yet, Magwenya noted that Ramaphosa asked diplomats to prioritise preparations for a visit.
Ramaphosa shows support for Ukraine during peace talks
Ramaphosa's eagerness for the visit comes on the back of peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.
The United States began peace talks with Russia but hasn't included Ukraine in that conversation.
Magwenya said that Ramaphosa believed that there could be no peace process without Ukraine’s participation, adding that it wasn't for other nations to dictate the terms.
“All parties must have a seat around the table. We don’t believe that anybody who is involved in a conflict should be excluded in a process and we know this from our own experience, from when we negotiated our political settlement that culminated in the constitutional democracy that we are so proud of," Magwenya said.
He added that the president was more than happy to facilitate talks between Russia and Ukraine if needed to do so. This is not the first time Ramaphosa has weighed in on the war on Russia. In 2023, he visited Ukraine where he met with Zelensky to discuss the situation in the country.
Source: Getty Images
Ramaphosa also previously met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2023, asking him to end the war. Ramaphosa also noted how it was affecting African nations.
Ramaphosa's stance causes social media debate
The president's plans sparked mixed reactions online, as South Africans shared their thoughts on the matter.
Ed-win Molebale said:
“Please Ramaphosa, you must rather focus on African conflicts and the US and EU will focus on the Russia and Ukraine conflict. Don't lose focus, Mr President.”
Maisha Marefu added:
“Cyril is busy putting South Africa in the line of fire for no reason.”
Bongz Ground stated:
“Meddling is the name of the game. When consequences come, we cry foul.”
Louise Pywell noted:
“Ramaphosa should worry more about what’s happening in our country. Stop all the corruption that is going on in our government and start worrying about our own people, who are poor because of all the looting.”
Lynda Diane Munro claimed:
“Oops, Russia will be furious.”
Ronny Modika said:
“Trump set a trap for Ramaphosa, and he is falling into the trap. Trump knows Putin is the key to BRICS, if he gets Putin in the corner, he will break BRICS. Ramaphosa is scared he might lose Putin to Trump, so he is trying to play the mediator. Truth is Putin can't be trusted.”
Thokoza Thokoza added:
“Ramaphosa applying for another round of sanctions.”
Noluthando Tsutsu stated:
“No, our President is being cheeky now. We have more pressing issues than this.”
Ramaphosa visits Ukraine for peace talks
Briefly News reported that President Ramaphosa visited Ukraine to meet with Zelensky on 16 June 2023.
Ramaphosa and six African leaders first engaged in a briefing by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence representatives.
The delegation visited the European nation as part of an African peace mission to try and resolve the Russian war on the country.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
