Zelensky ends landmark South Africa visit, as Kyiv hit by Russian strike

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has concluded a historic visit to South Africa, marking a major diplomatic breakthrough in relations between the two countries amid Russia’s growing influence on the continent.

The visit, the first by a Ukrainian head of state to South Africa in 33 years, was seen as a strategic move by Kyiv to regain ground in African diplomacy after years of neglect.

“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 Affairs, speaking to the BBC.

However, Zelensky was forced to cut the trip short after a Russian air strike on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.

He left South Africa immediately after his meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa described the visit as a reaffirmation of ties between the two nations, adding that their talks focused on achieving a “comprehensive peace” in Ukraine.

The visit also marked Zelensky’s first trip to the African continent—excluding a brief 2023 stopover in Cape Verde—since taking office in 2019.

In the wake of the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion, many African states, including South Africa, refrained from condemning Moscow.

This prompted a diplomatic pivot by Ukraine, which has since doubled its embassies across Africa from 10 to 20.

“Ukraine neglected the continent in terms of foreign policy, but it has changed that over the last three years,” Gruzd noted. “But it’s a crowded space—Russia, China, Turkey, and the UAE are all vying for influence in Africa.”

The timing of Zelensky’s visit is particularly significant, as relations between Ukraine and its principal military backer, the United States, have become strained under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Trump recently paused military aid, labelled Zelensky a “dictator,” and accused Ukraine of provoking the war.

“Ukraine needs every bit of legitimacy it can get internationally—not just in Europe,” said Professor Siphamandla Zondi of the University of Johannesburg. “Wars aren’t only won on the battlefield, but also in courts of public opinion around the world.”

Ramaphosa, facing his own diplomatic challenges with Washington, appeared keen to position himself as a peace broker. He held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of Zelensky’s visit.

“We both affirmed the strong bilateral relations between our respective countries,” Ramaphosa later posted on X. “We further committed to working together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.”

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