Pretoria: Ukrainian President Volodimier Zelansky’s visit to South Africa on Thursday underlines a change in Pretoria’s attitude on Russia’s attack over three years ago, which initially refused to condemn it, analysts say.
President Cyril Ramfosa will host Zelanski, who will be on his first visit to Africa a few weeks in South Africa, who first joined the United Nations General Assembly resolution, who criticized Russia, criticizing Russia and criticizing Russia for the war.
The United Nations resolution of February confirmed its commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, freedom, unity and regional integrity “against the” full scale of Ukraine by the Russian Federation “.
Priyal Singh, researcher from the Institute for Security Studies, told AFP, “Earlier criticizes for taking a quite a vague position in defying South Africa’s struggle.”
“And I think the United Nations resolution has originally set straight: South Africa admitted that it needs to play a very low -vague role and attach to all sides firmly,” he said.
Pretoria’s close relationship with Kremlin, its support in the struggle against the previous apartheid regime, has raised the fake, eyebrows in the house and abroad, with an attempt to pressurize a non-composed stance.
The relationship also fuel the claims by a former US ambassador that a Russian ship in Cape Town in 2022 was placed with weapons for conflict.
South Africa wants to believe that it can work with both sides in conflict and facilitate an inclusive peace process, perhaps after the armed struggle, one may be attracted to its own relatively smooth transitions outside the white-paralyzed rule in 1994.
The journey is “continuity of our efforts to try to bring a peaceful resolution”, Ramposa spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya said last month. “This is the situation that South Africa has held from the beginning of that struggle.”
Ramposa invited the Ukrainian leader in February as South Africa was coming to the attack by US President Donald Trump, who had also targeted Zelancesi and went to negotiate to end the war without involving Ukraine or his European colleagues.
As Washington has cut international assistance and trade, South Africa has gone closer to Europe which was also important for its unclear position on the war of Russia, Singh said.
“South Africa is definitely trying to find common ground with its European partners; it recognizes their importance,” he told AFP.
Europe has noted the innings. “South Africa has a rapid positive role in South Africa, Garido Ruiz, the Deputy Head of the European Union mission in South Africa.
“This is a positive step in multilateral attempts to achieve an inclusive, durable and widespread peace,” he said about the journey to Zelancesi.
It does not come at the cost of its relationship with Moscow, however, Russia is mentioned as “collaborative and precious friend” in October with Ramfosa.
According to a statement by the South African government, he and President Vladimir Putin on Monday spoke to “confirm” strong bilateral relations “.
“South Africa will continue to confuse all interested and affected parties, including the Ukraine government on finding a way for peace,” said this.
Although this may be the purpose of Pretoria, Kiev’s interests also lie in their international standing and increasing its footprint on the continent.
Garido Ruiz said that Zelanski is expecting an invitation from South Africa to the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
It knows that it needs to make more diplomatic efforts in Africa in front of Russia’s “very aggressive communication strategy”, he said.
Ukraine also wants to completely condemn the war of Pretoria, Ukrainian Ambassador Lubov Abravitova told The Sunday Times newspaper.
“I am confident that we will officially condemn the killing of Ukrainian people to South Africa,” he said.
“We are in a war for existence and the only way to stop it is to condemn the violation of international law and stand in support of the regional integrity of the countries.”
