President Zelenskyy Arrives in South Africa for Important Diplomatic Meetings

Chas Pravdy - 24 April 2025 00:17

On the morning of April 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an official visit to the Republic of South Africa (RSA), against the backdrop of a tense international situation and with the goal of strengthening diplomatic and economic ties with the African continent. The main event of the visit will be a planned meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, during which the leaders will discuss current issues of bilateral cooperation, global security challenges, and the role of African states in seeking a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. According to the official Telegram channel of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained the purpose of the trip: "We are preparing for important meetings in South Africa with President Cyril Ramaphosa and representatives of political, civil, and student groups from African countries. This is strategically important for our country, as it is crucial to bring closer the achievement of a just and lasting peace. We are working to involve G20 countries in these efforts because their voice is key in international diplomatic processes." Zelenskyy emphasizes that developing cooperation with the African region is one of Ukraine’s priority directions in foreign policy. In addition to diplomatic engagements with high-ranking officials, active involvement of representatives from political, civil, and student movements from South Africa is expected in discussions on expanding cultural and educational ties between Ukraine and African countries. According to Zelenskyy, this will give an additional boost to the development of mutual support, experience exchange, and youth initiatives. It is worth noting that this trip is based on diplomatic efforts aimed at increasing Ukraine’s participation in global politics and seeking new allies on a continent that has historically warranted closer interaction. Zelenskyy underscores the importance of global cooperation to recover Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia during the full-scale invasion, as well as to counter disinformation and support international solidarity. Background of the Visit Earlier reports indicated that the Ukrainian president’s visit to South Africa was scheduled for April 24. According to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the aircraft — an Airbus A319 Corporate Jet — departed on April 23 from the Polish city of Rzeszów and made a brief stopover in Ethiopia, at Addis Ababa Airport, for refueling around 16:18 local time. From there, the plane continued its journey to South Africa, departing at 18:21 and successfully landing in Johannesburg. Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development Yulia Svyridenko announced on her social media that she is already at the scene and participating in a official trip to South Africa, where meetings and negotiations are planned to establish economic cooperation. She emphasizes that one of the main priorities is strengthening trade links, attracting new investments, and creating favorable conditions for Ukrainian entrepreneurs seeking to enter African markets. It is expected that the outcome of the trip will include opening new opportunities for Ukrainian businesses on the African continent, increasing trade volumes, and enhancing Ukraine’s international standing. Zelenskyy and his team hope that this visit will be an important step toward finding new partners and creating conditions for Ukraine's broader integration into global economic and political processes.

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