Sawt Falasteen - S.Africa wants 'inclusive' talks on ending Ukraine war, invites Zelensky

President Cyril Ramaphosa invited Zelensky to talks after heavy criticism of moves by Russia and the United States to negotiate an end to the war through a process to which neither Ukraine nor its European allies were invited.

The war in Ukraine was a key topic at South Africa's first meeting of G20 foreign ministers that wrapped up Friday but overshadowed by the absence of the top US diplomat, Marco Rubio, who has accused Pretoria of an "anti-Americanism" agenda.

Zelensky was expected to visit "soon", Ramaphosa said in a post on social media early Friday, although no date was announced.

The two leaders had agreed on "the urgent need for an inclusive peace process that involves all parties," Ramaphosa said on X. "South Africa remains committed to supporting the dialogue process between Russia and Ukraine."

Zelensky thanked Ramaphosa for supporting "Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and said he hoped for peace this year.

"It is important that our countries share the same position: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. We all hope to achieve a just and lasting peace this year. South Africa’s voice matters, and we count on its support," he wrote on X.

While South Africa has sought to display neutrality in the conflict launched when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it has been accused of leaning towards Moscow.

Ramaphosa met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as well as other top international diplomats, on the sidelines of the G20 meeting, which officials were at pains to say had not been boycotted by the United States. The richest member of the G20 was represented by the deputy chief of mission of its embassy.

South Africa is in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's administration for leading a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of "genocidal" acts in its Gaza offensive, which Israel has denied.

"There was no boycott. They were here. They participated," Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told reporters at a final press briefing.

US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent has announced he would also not attend the G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors in Cape Town next week.

- 'Robust' talks -

South Africa this year became the first African nation to host the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) world's largest economies, which represent 85 percent of global GDP, 75 percent of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population.

The two days of talks had been "extremely robust", Lamola said.

The meeting recognised "widening geopolitical divisions" had contributed to "a climate of distrust", he said, presenting an official summary.

This threatened to "unravel progress we have made to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, climate change, pandemics, nuclear proliferation and armed conflict".

The delegates had agreed to support all efforts for a "just peace" in conflicts in Ukraine, the Palestinian territories, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere, he said.

The meeting had affirmed that all parties in conflicts must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws, he said.

Ramaphosa opened the meeting -- a curtain raiser for the G20 summit in November -- with a call Thursday for "cooperation" amid geopolitical tensions and "rising intolerance".

"It is critical that the principles of the UN Charter, multilateralism and international law should remain at the centre of all our endeavours. It should be the glue that keeps us together," Ramaphosa said.

H.Jarrar--SF-PST