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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has ended an historic visit to South Africa, signalling a dramatic improvement in the once-strained relations between the two nations. <\/p>\n
The visit marked a diplomatic breakthrough for the Ukrainian leader in his efforts to counter Russia’s strong – and growing – influence in Africa.<\/p>\n
“I’m sure that Russia will be annoyed by the visit, but I don’t think it can do much about it,” said Steven Gruzd of the South African Institute of International Relations think-tank. <\/p>\n
But Russia disrupted Zelensky’s visit by carrying out an air strike on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, forcing him to announce that he will cut short the trip by returning home immediately after meeting President Cyril Ramaphosa.<\/p>\n
The South African leader said the visit had “reaffirmed” the bonds between the two nations, pointing out that Zelensky’s visit was the first in 33 years by a Ukrainian head of state.<\/p>\n
Apart from a brief stopover in Cape Verde in 2023 while flying to Argentina, this was also Zelensky’s first visit to Africa since he became Ukraine’s president in 2019.<\/p>\n
Ukraine grasped the diplomatic significance of African states, when many of them – including regional powerhouse South Africa – refused to condemn Russia’s full-scale invasion of its territory in 2022. <\/p>\n
“Ukraine neglected the continent in terms of foreign policy, but it has changed that over the last three years, doubling its embassies from 10 to 20,” Mr Gruzd told the BBC. <\/p>\n
“But it’s in a very crowded space – Russia, China, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates are all trying to increase their influence in Africa.” <\/p>\n
Zelensky’s visit to South Africa at this point was especially significant, as Ukraine’s relationship with the US – its main weapons supplier – has soured since President Donald Trump took office in January. <\/p>\n
He briefly paused military aid, denounced Zelenksy as a “dictator”, and has accused Ukraine of being responsible for the war. <\/p>\n
“Ukraine needs every bit of legitimacy it can get internationally – not just in Europe. Wars aren’t only won in the battlefield, but also in courts of public opinion around the world,” said Prof Siphamandla Zondi, a political analyst at the University of Johannesburg. <\/p>\n
For South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, the visit was equally significant, as his country, too, was under intense pressure from the Trump administration. <\/p>\n
“The US has turned diplomacy on its head,” Mr Gudz said, adding: “Everyone is looking for new friends.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Ramaphosa saw Zelensky’s visit as an attempt to boost his credentials as a peacemaker, saying their talks focused on efforts to reach a “comprehensive peace”. <\/p>\n
The South African leader also held a phone conversation with Putin ahead of Zelensky’s visit.<\/p>\n
“We both affirmed the strong bilateral relations between our respective countries,” Ramaphosa said in a post on X<\/a>. <\/p>\n “We further committed to working together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” he added.<\/p>\n Ramaphosa first tried to assume the role of peacemaker in 2023 when he led a delegation of African leaders to both Kyiv and Moscow in an attempt to mediate an end to the conflict. <\/p>\n The initiative came as South Africa faced a backlash from then-US President Joe Biden’s administration, which questioned its professed neutrality in the conflict after it held a naval exercise with Russia and China.<\/p>\n