South African president meets visiting Ukrainian counterpart

South Africa stands ready to support all credible and inclusive multilateral efforts at achieving just and sustainable peace,

Ramaphosa said

Cyril Ramaphosapresident

We have concluded successful talks, during which we exchanged views on how to consolidate and deepen the bilateral relations, and discussed the opportunities for cooperation in areas such as agriculture, trade, education, infrastructure, and social exchanges,

said Ramaphosa as he briefed the media after closed-door discussions with Zelensky

South Africa will continue engaging all interested and affected parties, including the government of Ukraine, in finding a path to peace,

the South African Presidency said after the call

South Africa, like Ukraine, is a democracy. In Russia, you cannot protest. If you go to the street, you will be arrested or you will disappear,

Kachur said

We think [Zelenskyy] is the cause of the war between Russia and Ukraine. He provoked Putin,

Magazela Mzobe, a senior aide to Zuma, told Al Jazeera this week, urging protests

The Americans and Russians are discussing. And this discussion is very resistant to the allies of the Americans, the Europeans. They have not been involved. They have been fighting to get around the table,

said political analyst Kingsley Makhubela from the University of Pretoria

President Zuma and President Putin have enjoyed a relationship that goes back 40 years. They’re friends. But that’s not the same as the Russian government supporting the MK Party,

party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlela said last year

We don’t believe funding wars resolves conflict. We believe talks end wars. We can’t out-gun our way out of conflict,

his spokesperson Chrispin Phiri told Al Jazeera

A peaceful solution is only possible if Russia’s colonial system reforms,

she asserted,

We do not see signs of the US putting strong pressure on Russia as part of its peace push,

he told journalists in Pretoria

I’m certain that money has flown into their accounts from Russia,

he remarked to the Financial Mail newspaper

Floyd Shivambumember of the National Assembly of South Africa

The MK Party strongly condemns Mr Ramaphosa’s misguided decision to extend an invitation to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a figure widely discredited among progressive and nonaligned nations,

Floyd Shivambu, the secretary-general of the MK said earlier this month when the visit was announced

I don’t know what South Africa’s strengths are to influence this process,

he said

It is already a big compromise on Ukraine’s part to agree to sit down with Russia once a ceasefire is in place,

he said

Internally, you will find groups from the far left and the far right will pronounce why they are against this visit,

he said

Cyril Ramaphosapresident

I shared our own South African experience with (Zelenskiy) and said that the negotiations that brought an end to the nightmare of apartheid were held on a no-precondition basis,

Ramaphosa told a press conference with the Ukrainian president

Volodymyr Zelenskyypresident

There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,

Zelenskyy said earlier this week

Oksana Bilozirukrainian recording artist; politician

I honestly don't even know how this will all end; it's very scary,

said Bilozir, referring to the war against Russia's invasion

After that we came to the shelter because it was scary and dangerous at home,

she said

Phone calls can be heard from under the rubble - the search will continue until we are confident that we have found everyone,

Klymenko said, adding