PretoriaSouth Africa attended a summit on Russia’s abducted Ukrainian children.
Pretoria’s ties to Moscow could unlock releases sanctioning governments cannot reach.
Ukraine’s Zelensky gave Ramaphosa a named list of 400 children in 2025, after Ramaphosa first raised the issue with Putin in 2023.
Ukrainian officials say only 2,573 of the children have been returned, and Pretoria reports no progress on its own list.
Ramaphosa mentioned the conference to Putin on 11 September, but what he requested remains unconfirmed.
How each outlet framed it
- Daily Maverick
- maps South Africa's diplomatic leverage via Ramaphosa-Putin September meeting as potential catalyst for Ukrainian children's release
Sources: Daily Maverick