President Cyril Ramaphosa will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday, marking the first official visit by a Ukrainian Head of State to South Africa.
This engagement follows President Ramaphosa’s visit to Ukraine in June 2023, as part of the African Peace Initiative, which also saw African leaders meeting with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to table a 10-point peace proposal.
Alongside leaders from six other African nations, President Ramaphosa emphasised Africa’s call for negotiation, respect for sovereignty, and an urgent end to the conflict which continues to impact global and African economies.
“The visits provide South Africa and Ukraine with an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations and expand bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, agriculture and education. It will also explore areas of cooperation with the objective to support efforts to bring lasting peace,” the Presidency said.
The official visit will commence with a welcome ceremony where President Ramaphosa will receive President Zelenskyy at the Union Buildings. They will proceed to a closed session to hold official talks.
Later in the day, President Ramaphosa and President Zelenskyy will address a media briefing.
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