The discussion followed Putin's request to brief Ramaphosa on the peace process with Ukraine.
President Cyril Ramaphosa held a telephone discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the Presidency, the discussion followed Putin’s request to brief Ramaphosa on the peace process with Ukraine and to engage in issues of mutual bilateral interest.
Russia/Ukraine war
“President Putin expressed his recognition and appreciation for South Africa’s involvement in advancing a peace process between Russia and Ukraine,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said.
“President Ramaphosa welcomed the briefing and expressed South Africa’s full support for peace initiatives that will end the war and contribute to a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.”
SA stance
Mangwenya said the two leaders agreed to further their discussions on advancing the strategic relationship between their two countries.
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Pretoria has remained neutral, calling for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine.
MK party
However, former president Jacob Zuma’s MK party has taken aim squarely at Ukraine, blaming it for the current crisis.
Zuma previously claimed that Nato countries instigated the “crisis” in Ukraine in a bid to counteract the Brics alliance – a group of large developing world economies that includes Russia and South Africa.
Zelensky in SA
In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited South Africa and met with Ramaphosa, but cancelled part of his trip after Russia fired a barrage of missiles and drones at Kyiv, killing at least eight people and trapping others under rubble.
Zelensky said on X that he would still brief Ramaphosa as South Africa holds the G20 presidency and counted on “support in humanitarian matters”.
His first visit to Africa came just weeks after South Africa joined for the first time a UN General Assembly resolution criticising Russia for the war.
Discussions
Days before meeting with Zelenskyy, Ramaphosa had a telephone call with Putin in which, he said, the two “committed to working together towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict”.
Hours before meeting Zelenskyy on Thursday, Ramaphosa said he had also spoken with US President Donald Trump and the two agreed that the war in Ukraine needed to stop.
As president of the G20, Ramaphosa had ambitious goals that could be achieved through partners like Ukraine, which would share experience and knowledge in different fields.
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