Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that he would cut short his official visit to South Africa following a major overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv by Russian forces.
Despite the escalation back home, Zelenskyy proceeded with his scheduled meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. After the meeting, he confirmed via Telegram that he would be returning to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy had landed in South Africa late Wednesday evening, just as the attack on the Ukrainian capital began. The assault resulted in at least nine deaths and more than 70 injuries.
His trip to South Africa came during a tense moment in global diplomacy, as former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Zelenskyy for rejecting a peace deal that included territorial concessions to Russia. Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of extending the war by refusing to negotiate away occupied areas, particularly Crimea. Zelenskyy, however, remains firm in his stance, stating that surrendering Ukrainian territory is not an option.
Meanwhile, diplomatic talks involving the U.S., European allies, and Ukrainian officials in London appear to have stalled. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled his participation, casting doubt on the direction and potential success of the discussions.
Prior to announcing his early departure, Zelenskyy posted on X (formerly Twitter) that his visit was aimed at advancing diplomatic efforts for a “just peace,” particularly by engaging with G20 member states. South Africa currently holds the rotating G20 presidency.
President Ramaphosa has positioned himself as a potential peace mediator, leveraging South Africa’s close ties with Russia through the BRICS alliance. Though he has claimed to have access to both sides of the conflict, his mediation attempts have yet to show tangible results.
Ramaphosa had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the week, and said both leaders had agreed to collaborate on seeking a peaceful resolution. On Thursday, Ramaphosa also revealed that he spoke with Trump and agreed on the urgency of ending the war. Plans for an upcoming meeting between the two were also confirmed, with discussions expected to focus on both the Russia-Ukraine conflict and strained U.S.-South Africa relations.
Zelenskyy has remained skeptical of Russia’s peace overtures, particularly a ceasefire recently declared by Putin for Easter, which he dismissed as disingenuous. He reiterated this week that Ukraine would not accept any peace proposal requiring it to cede territory.
“There is nothing to negotiate. This is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said in response to recent proposals.
