Ukraine-Russia peace talks: Ramaphosa takes kid gloves off

After months of allegedly treating Russia with kid gloves, President Cyril Ramaphosa this weekend stiffened his position as the head of an African peace mission.

He made it plain to President Vladimir Putin that the United Nations (UN) Charter on national sovereignty and the maintaining of borders must be respected.

It was that UN Charter which saw 143 countries vote in favour of a resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Five countries voted against it, while South Africa was one of 35 which abstained.

READ: From Africa with peace: Ramaphosa’s tenacious bid to end Ukraine-Russia conflict

Ramaphosa also used the term “war” to describe the fighting in Ukraine. Russians have been at pains to refer to it as a “special military operation”.

In addition, he revealed that one of the proposals by the African peace mission was that Ukrainian children taken to Russia should be returned home.

Moscow claims the children were “rescued”.

Experts yesterday said Ramaphosa’s African leaders’ peace mission to Ukraine and Russia was not expected to yield positive early results in ending the 16-month-long war.

It got off to a shaky start, from copied permits for the weapons aboard a chartered SA Airways flight carrying special forces and journalists passing through a Polish airport, to a diplomacy bungle by Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.

READ: Kyiv air raid: Vincent Magwenya slammed as ‘biggest liar in world’

All of this put South Africa in a bad light.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky placed the pulling out of Russian troops and the halting of attacks as a precondition for any peace between his country and Russia.

Ramaphosa is said to have exerted pressure on Putin during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, calling for:

Magwenya described the proposed peace plan as having “created a foundation for future engagements that will contribute to a road to peace and resolution to the devastating conflict”.

“The African heads of state and government, asserted several key elements that are vital in starting a path to peace.

“President Ramaphosa is encouraged by the warm reception the delegation received from the presidents of Ukraine and Russia.

“The president will further reflect on the engagements by the African peace mission in his weekly newsletter [today].”

Among key elements proposed by African leaders included:

• The de-escalation of the conflict.
• The release of the prisoners of war and children.
• Adherence to the principle of the UN Charter on sovereignty.
• Ensuring humanitarian support for those in need and post war reconstruction.

While there has been a mixed reaction to the African peace mission, University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood lauded the intervention as being “positive”.

He said any lasting ceasefire and peace hinged on a commitment by the warring parties “to make a shift away from achieving a decisive military victory”.

“There are several peace plans circulating, which can be positive – also indicating the different positions and self-interests underlying the proposals.

“The real peace must be the result of Ukrainian interests, not Russian, Chinese or US interests.

“There must be long-term guarantees for all issues and interests.”

He said: “Putin holds the key. He started an illegal war and is partly occupying another country. [He] has to withdraw, with reparations required.”

Magwenya was embroiled in a storm over comments that no attacks had occurred while the mission was in Ukraine.

He was adamant he “did not hear any explosion, see any missile or hear any sirens in Kyiv”, a statement slammed by some foreign journalists.

Communications expert Sarah Britten, said of his bungling: “Several prominent journalists commented with disbelief, if not actual contempt.

“The comments served to further undermine South Africa’s already damaged credibility. He could have kept comments to a minimum.

“He seems to have missed the diplomatic part. The whole thing was an embarrassment.”

Commenting on the 26-hour diplomatic standoff between South Africa and Poland when SA special forces and local journalists were detained by Polish police at the Warsaw Chopin Airport, defence expert Helmoed-Römer Heitman said he was “surprised by the size of the team”.

READ: Warsaw to Kyiv: Ramaphosa’s peace mission a high-stakes diplomatic crisis?

“I would expect that level of protection when going into a country in upheaval due to insurgency, terrorism or revolution, for instance when former president Jacob Zuma went into Libya and Cote d’Ivoire.

“That is not the case in Ukraine. While they are at war, they have control over their territory. We needed a normal close protection team, but that did seem a bit over the top.

“I was startled to hear President Ramaphosa’s head of security, Major-General Wally Rhoode, referring to some members only having copies of permits and to our embassy printing them.

“I do not think any country would accept copies of permits – far too easily cooked.

“I also do not see how our embassy could print Polish government weapons transit permits.”