A state visit to SA by President Volodymyr Zelensky would take place in the first half of this year, Ukraine’s ambassador to SA Liubov Abravitova said on Thursday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced on X that he had extended an invitation to Zelensky to visit SA after a phone conversation with him.
Abravitova said in an address to the Cape Town Press Club that the invitation to visit SA had been outstanding for quite a while and was first pronounced on during the negotiations at the UN in September last year. It was now simply a matter of finding a suitable date on both sides for the visit.
“We are working on an agenda for the visit. It will happen in the first half of this year but the date will be communicated by the SA side as they will be hosting us,” Abravitova said.
Ukraine was developing a dialogue with SA and looking for opportunities for the country’s businesses and youth. Ukraine, she noted, played an important role in providing food security to the world.
“SA is leading the G20 this year and its goals are very ambitious and very right. Ukraine is here to help to contribute to SA’s success with the G20. It is already time for us to have this visit. We need to speak about a very pragmatic agenda that will allow us to overcome challenges that we are facing.”
The SA government has been criticised for failing to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and for its position of neutrality, which it has justified as being necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement. Both SA and Russia are members of the Brics group of countries.
This week SA voted for a UN General Assembly resolution calling for Ukraine’s territorial integrity to be respected. The US abstained. SA has consistently abstained in the past on resolutions condemning Russia’s aggression.
Ramaphosa led a peace mission of African leaders and representatives of seven African countries in June 2023, meeting with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Abravitova stressed the urgent need for the reform of the UN Security Council, which has long been a call made by Ramaphosa and African countries. She said Ukraine had firmly supported the representation of African countries on the council for many years.
Africa has called for two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats on the council, and the abolition of the veto pending which it should be extended to all new permanent members.
She said Ukraine’s negotiations to join the EU were ongoing and she was confident the country would soon become a member. One of the conditions of its minerals deal with the US was that it did not conflict with EU laws.
Abravitova said the draft US-Ukraine agreement on the exploitation of Ukraine’s vast mineral wealth, including rare minerals, provided for the establishment of an investment fund jointly managed by Ukraine and US in which each country would have a 50% interest.
Funds generated would be invested in Ukraine and not replenish the US budget.
Ukraine demanded guarantees of security against future Russian aggression, but these were not included in the draft agreement. However, Abravitova said they would be discussed in a separate agreement.
US President Donald Trump initially demanded access to Ukraine’s minerals to pay for US military aid provided in the past.
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