Ramaphosa Briefed as Trump, Putin Push for Russia-Ukraine Peace Summit

A turning point or another dead end?

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been pulled into the latest diplomatic twist in the Russia-Ukraine conflict after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The briefing followed Putin’s face-to-face talks with Donald Trump in Alaska, a meeting that has sparked cautious optimism about a possible peace summit between Moscow and Kyiv.

Trump shifts tone on Ukraine

For months, Trump’s rhetoric on the war has been blunt and divisive. But after his Alaska talks with Putin, the U.S. president dialed down demands for an immediate ceasefire, instead focusing on what he called a “final peace deal.” He claimed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky could end the war “almost immediately,” though his remarks also reinforced Russia’s position: Crimea is gone, NATO membership is off the table, and compromises are inevitable.

Trump, now 79, has built his political comeback on promises to end “endless wars,” and the Russia-Ukraine crisis has become a litmus test for whether he can deliver. On his Truth Social account, he painted an optimistic picture: “Everyone is very happy about the possibility of peace for Russia/Ukraine.”

Putin: “Satisfied” with progress

According to Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, Putin expressed satisfaction with how the Alaska talks unfolded and emphasised alignment with Trump on the next steps. Ramaphosa, in turn, stressed the need for “more compromise” if a durable peace is to be reached.

The South African leader’s involvement is significant. Since the war began, Ramaphosa has positioned himself—and by extension, South Africa—as a potential mediator, reflecting Pretoria’s non-aligned stance and deep historical ties with Russia.

The road to a possible summit

Hopes of progress now hinge on whether Putin and Zelensky will meet face-to-face. Trump has already hinted at arranging a direct summit between the two leaders, followed by a possible three-way meeting. If it materialises, it would mark the first time Russia and Ukraine’s presidents sit down together since Moscow launched its invasion more than three years ago.

European leaders, who met with Trump ahead of his call to Putin, are also pressing for security guarantees for Kyiv, a sticking point that has derailed earlier peace efforts.

Social media and global reactions

Reaction online has been mixed. Trump supporters celebrated his “deal-making diplomacy,” while critics accused him of echoing Moscow’s talking points by declaring Crimea permanently lost to Ukraine. In South Africa, commentators noted Ramaphosa’s careful balancing act, caught between BRICS solidarity with Russia and Western pressure to stand firmly with Kyiv.

A fragile moment

Whether this moment signals a genuine step toward peace or another cycle of false hope remains unclear. Still, the fact that leaders are now talking about summits and compromises, rather than escalation, has injected a rare note of optimism into a war that has dragged on for over three years.

For Ramaphosa, whose foreign policy often walks a tightrope between principle and pragmatism, the coming weeks will test just how much influence Pretoria can wield on the global stage.

{Source: The Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com