Zelenskyy to visit South Africa for first time this week – DW

According to the media, Zelenskyy will visit Pretoria, where he is set to meet with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The details of Zelenskyy's visit are not being disclosed yet, but it is expected that the focus will be on discussing the war in Ukraine with President Ramaphosa.

It is worth noting that last spring, there were reports that Zelenskyy might visit South Africa, but the trip did not take place.

Ukraine and Africa relations

In 2023, Ukraine intensified its diplomatic efforts with Global South countries, including those in Africa. Former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba undertook two tours of African countries, while President Zelenskyy held dozens of meetings with leaders from the continent. An African delegation also visited Kyiv.

As noted by Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Maksym Subkh, since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been working to gain global support, including from African nations, which did not fully realize the threats posed by Russia's aggression to their region.

"Few in Africa realized their dependence on Ukrainian grain or fertilizers. Few understood that the economies of many countries on this continent, primarily North and East Africa, had a system of business contacts with Ukraine that collapsed because of the war," Subh said.

However, last September, it became known that South Africa supports the peace plan to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian war proposed by China and Brazil.

For more on ties between Ukraine and the Global South, read the material by RBC-Ukraine "Heading South: How Ukraine seeking allies beyond Europe and US."