Ramaphosa reveals excerpts from a phone call with the President of Ukraine

President Cyril Ramaphosa greets Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg as part of the African Peace Mission talks on June 17, 2023.

• President Cyril Ramaphosa had a telephone discussion with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Thursday.
• Both presidents described the phone calls as helpful.
• Ramaphosa spoke in a brics and Presidential Gala Dinner in Sandton before BRICS summit in August.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said the phone call he had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday is evidence of South Africa’s continued critical role in resolving global conflicts.

Speaking at a BRICS symposium and presidential dinner in Sandton on Thursday night, the president revealed excerpts from the discussion.

The two presidents spoke to each other for the first time since Ramaphosa led a team of African heads of state to Ukraine and Russia in June in an effort to end the war.

“I spoke to President Zelensky about the issues that emerge from our visit and our discussions. He appreciated our visit and said it was a positive visit. We talked about the 10 points we outlined, and he said he appreciated the role of South Africa. Our country continues to play an important role in figuring out how to resolve conflicts” .

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“Made a phone call with the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa. He thanked him for visiting Bucha and Kiev with other African leaders and for his further efforts to return children illegally deported by Russia,” Zelensky said in a tweet on Thursday night. We praised the outcome of the advisors’ meeting in Copenhagen.

“We discussed preparations for the global peace summit and diplomatic steps needed to boost African support for Ukraine. We also emphasized the importance of expanding the grain corridor.”

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Ramaphosa said the war and its impact would be discussed at the BRICS summit in August. The presidents of Brazil, Russia, India and China, along with large delegations, are expected to attend the summit.

The political dispute over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attendance at the summit remains a thorny issue.

Ramaphosa told guests at the dinner Thursday that it would be a personal pinnacle.

“This is the first BRICS summit to be held in person… There have been rumors about this will be online; it will be face-to-face and eyeballing.

“South Africa is the smallest economy of the other BRICS countries. We punch above our weight. We are seen as playing a major strategic role, as small as we are. South Africa plays an important role in the world,” he said.