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President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that he has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a state visit to South Africa.

The announcement was made on X (formerly Twitter), where Ramaphosa expressed his commitment to supporting dialogue between Russia and Ukraine for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

‘I welcome the constructive engagement I had with President @ZelenskyyUA and I look forward to hosting him in South Africa soon for a state visit,’ Ramaphosa wrote.

‘We both agreed on the urgent need for an inclusive peace process that involves all parties in finding a resolution to the conflict and securing a lasting peace.’

‘South Africa remains committed to supporting the dialogue process between Russia and Ukraine.’

The invitation was formally extended on January 15, following discussions between the two leaders at the UN General Assembly in September and the World Economic Forum in November, according to reports.

Zelenskyy welcomed the visit, emphasising the importance of South Africa’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and a just peace process.

‘I spoke with South African President @CyrilRamaphosa and thanked him for South Africa’s support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.’

‘It is important that our countries share the same position: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.’

‘We all hope to achieve a just and lasting peace this year. South Africa’s voice matters, and we count on its support,’ he said. 

The announcement of the invitation comes a day after Ramaphosa called for stronger multilateralism and respect for international law during the official opening of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The president warned that divisions among major powers threaten global stability.

‘It is critical that the principles of the UN Charter, multilateralism and international law should remain at the centre of all our endeavours. It should be the glue that keeps us together,’ Ramaphosa said.

Highlighting conflicts in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, the Sahel, and Gaza, he stressed the need for diplomatic solutions.

‘The conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, conflict that’s raging in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the Sudan, in the Sahel and in Gaza continue to exert heavy human toll and heighten global insecurity.’

‘Yet there is a lack of consensus among major powers, including in the G20, on how to respond to these issues of global significance.’

Highlighting conflicts in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan the Sahel, and Gaza, he stressed the need for diplomatic solutions.

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Picture: @PresidencyZA / X

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