South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss potential collaboration on treating wounded Ukrainian citizens.
Zelenskyy announced the discussions on his X account, emphasizing the importance of global unity to uphold the UN Charter and achieve peace. He also invited South Africa to join an international coalition addressing the return of Ukrainian children reportedly deported by Russia.
The talks follow past efforts by Ramaphosa, who led an African delegation to Russia and Ukraine two years ago in a bid to mediate an end to the ongoing war.
In 2024, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited South Africa to strengthen bilateral relations, discuss humanitarian crises in Africa, and explore economic collaboration. With South Africa now holding the G20 presidency, Ukraine hopes to gain increased attention and support under its leadership.
South Africa remains a key player in global diplomacy as the continent’s largest economy and the first African country to lead the G20.