Pretoria, South Africa – While the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, held conversations with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria, the Pro-Russian opposition condemned the visit while the protesters met outside the government buildings that were going to be read, the shame of “shame.” “
Zenskyy interrupted his first state visit to South Africa on Thursday, saying that “he would return to Ukraine immediately” after Russian attacks during the night killed at least 12 people in kyiv.
Since February 2022, Ukraine has inclined a military attack by Moscow, arms assistant and support of allies in Europe and the United States.
Pretoria has remained neutral, asking for dialogue between both sides.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner Office for Human Rights, it is estimated that 12,910 civilians have died in Ukraine since the war began.
But the main political party of the opposition of South Africa, the Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party of former President Jacob Zuma, has tasks pointing directly to Ukraine, blaming him for the current crisis.
“The MK party strongly condemns Mr. Ramaphosa to extend to Volodymyr Zenskyy, a widely discredited figure between progressive and not aligned nations,” Floyd Shivambu, the general visit of the lady.
Zenskyy, said Shivambu, was the president “puppet” of NATO and the West and someone who “sought to destabilize east Europe and the entire world.”
“We believe [Zelenskyy] It is the cause of the war between Russia and Ukraine. He caused Putin, “Magzela Mzobe, a senior assistant from Zuma, told Al Jazeera this week, urging protests.
“We consider Russia and President Putin as our friends.”
Zuma said that NATO countries instigated the “crisis” in Ukraine in an attempt to counteract the BRICS alliance, a group of world development world economies that includes Russia and South Africa.
South Africa, a historic ally of Russia, mainly due to the support of the former Soviet Union, provoked the antiapar and decolonial movements in Africa, has not condemned Russia or Putin, has refrained from an ingenuity of United Good. Then and he has done it.
Put ‘strong pressure on Russia’
Days before meeting with Zenskyy, Ramaphosa received a phone call with Putin in which, he said, the two “pledged to work together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.”
Hours before meeting Zenskyy on Thursday, Ramaphosa said he had also talked to US President Donald Trump and the two agreed that the war in Ukraine should stop.
Ukraine faces pressure on the consumption of strict conditions of the USA for a peace agreement.
On Wednesday, Trump had punished Zenskyy for rejecting a proposal from the Trump administration that would see Crimea Crimea to Russia.
After Thursday’s conversations with Ramaphosa, in which the leaders discussed improve the trade and finish the war, Zenskyy said that, although Ucrine is open to a high unconditional fire, the pressure had to put himself in Moscow, it was for Russia, it was that it was Russia, it was.
“We do not see signs that the United States press strong on Russia as part of its peace impulse,” he told journalists in Pretoria. Zenskyy said a new set of proposals was on Trump’s desktop after the conversations on Wednesday in London.
When he pushed him on what he would be willing to commit to the peace talks, Zenskyy said he was ready to comply with what was proposed but that he could not go against the Ukrainian Constitution.
“It is already a great commitment on the part of Ukraine to agree to sit with Russia once there is a stop the fire,” he said.
If the unconditional fire is applied, the question remains who would be a guarantor. Zenskyy said it should be an NATO country strong enough to resist Russia. Ramaphosa said South Africa and other African countries were ready to be a guarantor to guarantee peace.
In the context of Zenskyy’s visit, some questioned why South Africa would do it because to help the peace corridors, and what role could I play.
South Africa is influenced?
The Foreign Minister of South Africa, Ronald Lamola, says that his country is well located to mediate between Russia and Ukraine because or successful history negotiating the end of apartheid, as well as in the mediation of Africa conflicts.
“We do not believe that financing the wars resolves the conflict. We believe that the conversations end the wars. We cannot leave the conflict,” said spokesman Chrispin Phiri to Al Jazeera.
However, political analysts who observe developments are not convinced that Pretoria has a role to play or if their efforts could even help the desired peace results.
“Americans and Russians are arguing. And this discussion is very resistant to the allies of the Americans, the Europeans. They have not involved the leg. They have bone fighting to get a table,” said political analyst Kingsley Makhables of the University of Pretoria.
“I do not understand what value South Africa will have if Europeans who have a direct interest in the resolution of the conflict have no influence around this.”
Makhubela said it was a concern for South Africa to be possible between the interests of the United States and the European Union to resolve the Ukraine War.
“We should not play in the hands of any of the parties.”
Makhubela told Al Jazeera that he did not believe that Pretoria could persuade the Russians or the Ukrainians to commit to peace conversations.
“I don’t know what are the strengths of South Africa to influence this process,” he said.
Regarding opposition calls to protest Zelensky’s visit, Makhubela said they were not extraordinary.
“Internally, you will find groups of the left and the extreme right will pronounce why they are against this visit,” he said.
The opposition MK party, which protested by Zenskyy’s visit, also argued that South Africa is poorly equipped to negotiate effective peace between Ukraine and Russia.
However, the MK itself, a separatist faction of the African National Congress (ANC), the majority party in the South Africa coalition government, has faced accusations of receiving Russian money.
Last year, John Steenhuisen, the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second largest party in the ruling coalition, advised to the MK party to be financially backed by his links with Putin, although he admitted that there was no definitive evidence. “I am sure that the money has flown to his Russian accounts,” he told the Financial Mail newspaper.
The MK denied the accusations of financial connections, but has recognized the long data relationship between Zuma and Putin.
“President Zuma and President Putin have enjoyed a relationship that dates back to 40 years. They are friends. But that is not the same as the Russian government that supports the MK party,” said the spokesman of the Nhlamulo Party Ndlela last year.
The affinity of MK matches by Putin is no secret; Simply markets the royalty adorned with images of Zuma and Putin. Zuma has also repeatedly sought medical treatment in the duration of Russia and after its presidency. In addition, he has faced accusations of ensuring corrupt corrupt from an Auw nuclear agreement with Russia during his time in office.
However, the MK party insisted that its protest against Zenskyy’s visit is not related to the close ties of its leader with Putin.
Ukraine ‘a democracy’ like South Africa
Despite the rejection of Zenskyy from some sectors, the Ukraine Association of South Africa (UAZA), represented by Dzvinka Kachur, did not flinch for protests and the opposition to his visit.
“South Africa, like Ukraine, is a democracy. In Russia, you can’t protest. If you go to the street, you will be arrested or you will disappear,” Kachur said.
The UAZA, which represents about 1,000 Ukrainians residing in South Africa, advocates better communication between the two nations.
He has previously expressed criticism about the failure of the South African government to openly condemn the invasion of Russia of Ukraine, particularly when refraining from a UN vote.
The South African government has maintained its position of non -alignment and seeks the mediation of facilitation in the conflict with Russia.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Zenskyy on Thursday, Ramaphosa asked Russia and Ukraine to ensure that there is a high integral fire so that the negotiations can begin.
He said South Africa believed that the only way to peace is through diplomacy, inclusive dialogue and commitment to the principles of the UN Charter.
Hello, he also expressed a deep concern for the continuous conflict in Ukraine, the loss of civil life, the damage to critical infrastructure and the deteriorated humanitarian situation.
Kachur told Al Jazeera that any Ramaphosa attempt to negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine would depend on significant actions in Russia.
“A peaceful solution is only possible if the reforms of the Russian colonial system,” he said, which means that Russia should stop taking Ukrainian territory. “If there is no change within Russia, there can be no peace.”
In the Ramaphosa telephone conversation with Putin before the visit of Zelensky, the Russian leader articulated his country’s position on the need to address the “root causes” of the conflict and guarantee Russia’s security interests, according to Kremlin.
“South Africa will continue to involve all interested and affected parties, including the Ukraine government, to find a path to peace,” said the South African presidency after the call.
But as Trump’s pressure increases for the end of the war, the dichotomy between the neutrality of the South African government, the main support of the opposition of the opposition to Russia and the host of international actors who want a Prety Coulayint seat paper.