PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA ENGAGES EUROPEAN LEADERS ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS

DSD NEWS.

• President Ramaphosa held talks with Presidents Zelenskyy, Macron, and Stubb on advancing Russia-Ukraine peace efforts, following recent U.S.-hosted meetings.
• European leaders expressed appreciation for South Africa’s balanced diplomatic engagement and pledged support for initiatives to end the war.
• President Ramaphosa stressed the need for bilateral and trilateral meetings between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States to accelerate peace commitments.

On Saturday, 23 August 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa held a series of telephone discussions with European leaders to intensify global efforts aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The engagements followed recent meetings hosted by President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and several other European leaders. Building on those discussions, President Ramaphosa spoke directly with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron of France, and President Alexander Stubb of Finland. Further calls with additional European leaders are expected in the coming days and weeks.
President Ramaphosa also welcomed a briefing he had received from President Putin last week, following Putin’s meeting with President Trump. This, he noted, provided important context for South Africa’s role in ongoing mediation and reinforced the urgency of direct engagement between the parties.
In each of the conversations, European leaders openly shared their perspectives on the conflict, acknowledged South Africa’s contribution in facilitating dialogue, and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting a path toward peace.
President Ramaphosa emphasized the necessity of bilateral and trilateral meetings involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States as a way of signaling a serious commitment to end hostilities. He called on all parties to seize the moment, sustain the current momentum, and commit themselves to lasting peace in the region.