Volodymyr Zelensky is “agreeable to an unconditional ceasefire”, the South African president said on Thursday. The Ukrainian leader held a press conference with Cyril Ramaphosa during his visit to Pretoria this afternoon.
The wartime leader, who is cutting short his scheduled visit to South Africa following a devastating Russian attack on Ukraine overnight, held “successful talks” with Mr Ramaphosa, according to the South African president. During their joint press conference, Mr Ramaphosa called on both Mr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin to “sit around the table and negotiate” to end the war, adding it was a “good signal that Ukraine is agreeable to an unconditional ceasefire so that discussions and negotiations can then ensue”. Mr Zelensky’s renewed desire to reach a ceasefire deal comes hours after US President Donald Trump lashed out at the Ukrainian leader, blaming him for the continuation of the conflict. On Wednesday, Mr Trump accused Mr Zelensky of “inflammatory statements”, after the Ukrainian leader said giving away Crimea “violates” his country’s constitution. The 78-year-old US leader also claimed that Zelensky’s latest intervention will do “nothing but prolong the ‘killing field'” in Ukraine.
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