Zelensky to visit SA while US squeezes him to make concessions to Russia

Source:  Daily Maverick

Olexiy Haran, research adviser of the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and professor of Comparative Politics at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy, noted that this was a long-awaited visit. It is Zelensky’s first visit to both South Africa and Africa. He said the visit was not “ off the cuff” – it was the culmination of systematic work by Ukraine with Africa, and South Africa in particular, which initiated the visit that was agreed to last September.

“It’s also a response to the visit of President Ramaphosa to Ukraine with the African peace mission in 2023,” he told Daily Maverick, referring to Ramaphosa’s visits to both Kyiv and St Petersburg at that time. 

“It’s not the influence of recent events. It was agreed more than half a year ago.”

He noted that South Africa and Ukraine had many things in common: “Especially with the Russian aggression, we need to talk about global stability, reform of the UN, which is impossible without Africa.”

‘Return to colonialism’

He noted a trend towards abandoning a world based on the rule of law and order, and “instead to divide the world into spheres of influence, where the great powers will play the most important role. And they just decide by themselves, ignoring the will of other countries.”

“We see the return of the practice of colonialism. In the case of Ukraine, it’s very, very clear, because the former colonial empire is trying to come back. 

“So I think both countries (SA and Ukraine) are interested that we will have a world based on international order, based on the rule of law, international law.

“We have in common also democracy and freedom as our basic values, both for Ukraine and for South Africa.”

Haran noted that after abstaining from all the UN General Assembly resolutions in 2022 and 2023 on Russia’s war against Ukraine, in February this year South Africa had voted for the General Assembly Path to Peace resolution which mourned “the tragic loss of life throughout the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation” and reaffirmed the UN’s “commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders…”

He noted that Russia had voted against this resolution while the US had abstained. 

Deported children

Haran said he believed that Ramaphosa and Zelensky would discuss the role which South Africa could still play as part of the international negotiations to secure the release of the Ukrainian children deported to Russia, estimated to number about 20,000.

He noted that at the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of the Ukraine Peace Formula held in Montreal, Canada, in October 2024, Pretoria had stated that, “The Republic of South Africa is ready to become a mediator in the return of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia.”

Haran agreed with Abravitova that Ukraine and South Africa could work together to realise the aims put forward by South Africa during its chairmanship of the G20 this year. He said he believed Ukraine would be happy for Zelensky to receive an invitation from Pretoria to attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November. 

“Moreover, Ukraine is ready to participate in the working groups of G20, specifically groups on food security and also digitalisation.”

South Africa has invited several non-G20 members to participate in G20 meetings, though not Ukraine, so far.