Ukrainian Foreign Minister in South Africa

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister was traveling to South Africa. Dmytro Kuleba said he sought to take cooperation with South Africa to a “qualitatively new level”.

Nearly five months after the peace mission in Ukraine and Russia led by a delegation of African heads of state including Cyril Ramaphosa and while South Africa has been criticized for its links with Moscow, the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, was visiting Pretoria.

Received by his counterpart, Naledi Pandor, he once again came to plead for a strengthening of cooperation between the African continent and his country.

“In the development of the revival of “Ukrainian-African” relations, Ukraine seeks to bring cooperation with the Republic of South Africa to a qualitatively new level,” the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said.

Dmytro Kuleba said kyiv offered a partnership based on "mutual respect and benefits", indicating he was happy that the South African government shared Ukraine's aspirations.

Promote peace

He also said Kuleba appreciated South Africa's participation in efforts to promote President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace formula, which he first presented at the G20 summit in Indonesia in November 2022.

"The minister invited the South African side to participate in the World Peace Summit, which is currently being held by Ukraine and its partners," adding that he also invited to join Ukraine's food program, "Grain ".

South African Minister Naledi Pandor welcomed the position adopted from the start by her country. “I think our original decision to remain non-aligned was the right one. We are one of the few regions in the world that can talk to both Ukraine and Russia.