Pretoria has long maintained that the Ukraine conflict should be resolved through negotiations, Cyril Ramaphosa has said
South Africa supports Russia’s efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict through political and diplomatic means, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said, reaffirming Pretoria’s longstanding call for a negotiated settlement.
The South African leader made the remarks during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, according to statements released by both sides after the talks.
“This is in line with South Africa’s long stated position during talks with both sides that all wars end through negotiations,” the South African presidency said.
The Ukraine conflict was discussed alongside ways to deepen trade and investment ties “within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and South Africa,” the Kremlin stated.
Ramaphosa and Putin also exchanged views on broader international matters and stressed the importance of aligning policies within multilateral platforms, including BRICS and the G20.
South Africa has maintained a non-aligned stance on the Ukraine conflict despite external pressure to condemn Moscow, which it regards as a “valued ally.” Ramaphosa led a delegation of African leaders to Russia and Ukraine in June 2023 in a bid to secure ceasefire commitments from both sides. He has since held bilateral talks with Putin and Vladimir Zelensky on an inclusive peace process involving all parties to the crisis.
Putin and Ramaphosa last spoke in August, when the Russian leader briefed his South African counterpart about his face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska, where efforts were made to settle the Ukraine conflict. Earlier, Ramaphosa had also been updated on talks held in Moscow on August 6 between Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
