Ramaphosa, Putin discuss Ukraine war and efforts to end it
Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held a telephone conversation on Monday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and explore avenues for a peaceful resolution.
The call follows Putin’s recent trip to Alaska, where he engaged in discussions about the conflict with US President Donald Trump.
The Kremlin released a statement indicating that Putin briefed Ramaphosa on his Alaska visit. Ramaphosa, in turn, expressed his support for the ongoing diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further developing the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and South Africa, as well as strengthening their cooperation on international platforms.
Ramaphosa, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 nations, has been actively involved in mediation efforts among world leaders to bring an end to the conflict that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Concurrently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington later on Monday, accompanied by a high-level delegation from the European Union.
Sources familiar with the discussions suggest that while the US is expected to focus on potential territorial concessions demanded by Russia, Kyiv will prioritise securing concrete security guarantees.
In a recent weekend call, Trump reportedly conveyed to allies his desire for a swift resolution, urging Ukraine to agree to a deal with the ambitious goal of arranging a Putin-Zelenskiy meeting within a week. However, many European counterparts view this timeline as overly aggressive given the numerous unresolved issues.
Ramaphosa has maintained a non-aligned stance throughout the conflict, engaging in previous talks with Zelenskiy, Trump, and Putin. Earlier this month, he publicly called for a ceasefire. South African Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed Ramaphosa’s call with Putin but did not elaborate on any specific role Pretoria might play in renewed peace efforts.
