President Zelensky’s April visit to South Africa is contentious, especially after strained U.S.-South Africa relations. The nation’s non-alignment stance contradicts Zelensky’s invitation, which some attribute to European lobbying. Dr. Kingsley Makhubela critiques the idea of South Africa mediating in a superpower conflict, expressing skepticism over the potential for successful peace talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to visit South Africa in April, a move that follows strained relations between the U.S. and South Africa, largely due to an executive order from former President Trump halting aid. South Africa’s invitation to Zelensky surprises observers, especially since the nation has chosen a position of non-alignment concerning the Ukraine-Russia conflict and has ties with Russia.
According to Dr. Kingsley Makhubela, a risk analyst and former diplomat, this invitation may be driven by lobbying efforts from European governments. He speculates, “I suspect that there has been a lot of lobbying by Western governments…to try and demystify this thing of Zelensky’s isolation and spit on the Americans to say that the developing countries are on our side.”
The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia shows no signs of resolution, and Zelensky faces mounting pressure to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he consistently rebuffs calls to concede. Dr. Makhubela points out that South Africa’s role as a mediator appears unrealistic given the complexities involving superpowers, stating, “This is above South Africa’s pay grade to mediate in the conflict that involves superpowers.”
Dr. Makhubela questions the expectations surrounding Zelensky’s visit, critiquing the notion that it could spur productive peace talks: “If you look at the words of the presidency last week, they hope that this visit will lead to peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. What is that?”
Zelensky’s upcoming visit to South Africa raises questions regarding the country’s potential role in mediating between Ukraine and Russia, especially considering its established position of non-alignment. Influences from Western powers likely play a significant role in this decision, as expressed by Dr. Makhubela. Ultimately, the feasibility of achieving peace talks through this visit remains doubtful, given the current geopolitical dynamics.
Original Source: vocfm.co.za
