Trump call 'a long time coming', says Ramaphosa as Zelensky cuts visit short

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cut his visit short after Russian air strikes in Kyiv. He arrived in South Africa on Wednesday for a scheduled engagement with President Cyril Ramaphosa about peace negotiations with neighbouring Russia after three years of war. 

The two leaders met for more than two hours on Thursday. Zelensky was visiting the continent for the first time. The engagement between the two leaders followed a telephone call between US president Donald Trump and Ramaphosa to discuss peace in Ukraine.

The talks between Trump and Ramaphosa came after months of hostility, with Washington ceasing any diplomatic engagement with Pretoria. This came to a head when Trump signed executive orders against South Africa, claiming the minority Afrikaners were under attack. US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Treasury secretary Scott Bessent then snubbed the G20 ministerial meetings. 

Ramaphosa said the call to Trump was “long in the making” as the two leaders had only previously talked after Trump's election.

Ramaphosa said he had also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Ukrainian war. 

Ramaphosa said the talks with Trump were successful, with both leaders exchanging views on how to consolidate and deepen the bilateral relations between their two countries.

He said they noted a growing interest in expanding relations in peace diplomacy, post-conflict reconstruction and development, and the empowerment of women.

The two leaders also discussed opportunities for co-operation in agriculture, trade, education, infrastructure and social exchanges. 

“We have reinforced our common commitment to respect the rule of law in international relations, multilateralism, the central role of the United Nations in global governance, and the maintenance of global peace and security,” Ramaphosa said.

“South Africa is deeply concerned about the continuing conflict in Ukraine, the loss of civilian lives, damage to critical infrastructure and [the] deteriorating humanitarian situation.

“South Africa believes that the only path to peace is through diplomacy, inclusive dialogue and a commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter. This includes the principle that all member states shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means.”

He said it was a good signal from Zelensky that Ukraine was agreeable to an unconditional ceasefire for discussions to ensue. He said the world and South Africa was ready to act and play its role as possible guarantors of the ceasefire. SA had been negotiating for the return of the Ukrainian children captured by Russia and ensuring there is a peace process effective between the two warring countries, he added. 

Ramaphosa would not be drawn into discussions about Crimea, saying that there was a willingness and commitment from Ukraine for an unconditional ceasefire, arguing this set a good tone and a confidence-building measure for progress. 

Putin has said he wants Ukraine to drop its Nato ambitions, permanently cede to Russia the four regions it has lost and limit the size of its army. Kyiv says those demands are tantamount to demanding its capitulation.

Trump and Zelensky clashed again on Wednesday on efforts to end the war in Ukraine, with Trump chiding Zelensky for refusing to recognise Russia's occupation of Crimea. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“When I last met President Zelensky in New York on the sides of the UN General Assmebly, he was grappling with this whole question of preconditions, and I know he had very strong views of security measures and guarantees. I shared our own South African experience with him and said the negotiations that brought an end to the nightmare of apartheid were held on a no-precondition basis,” Ramaphosa said. 

He said issues about ceding territory should be discussed at the negotiating table, adding that once a ceasefire is in a place, this would build confidence that everything can be discussed. 

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