South Africa And Eu Unite For Global Peace Talks

The European Union has launched a peace, security and defence dialogue with South Africa, aiming to address conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine and across Africa.

Speaking at Tuynhuys in Cape Town last week, EU Council President Antonio Costa emphasised the urgency of international collaboration to tackle rising global instability.

The announcement came as the eighth SA-EU Summit concluded, with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressing her satisfaction that South Africa would host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in April. She highlighted the importance of a genuine peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire, stating that the Ukrainian people deserved lasting stability.

The summit, set against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical tensions, marked a commitment to ongoing dialogue on peace and security. Despite global perceptions that South Africa leans toward Russia in the Ukraine conflict, President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed this claim, insisting that the country remains neutral, as first reported by EWN .

'In the past, we've been branded as being one-sided,' Ramaphosa said. 'Our involvement in all this has demonstrated that we are neutral, and we've been encouraging both Ukraine and Russia to find a peaceful solution.'