President Cyril Ramaphosa recently spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a significant diplomatic exchange centered around the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The conversation came after Putin requested an update on the peace process and to discuss issues important to both nations.
According to the South African Presidency , Putin expressed gratitude for South Africa's role in promoting dialogue between the two warring countries. Ramaphosa welcomed the briefing, reaffirming South Africa's commitment to supporting initiatives that aim to bring an end to the conflict and secure lasting peace.
The leaders also agreed to continue deepening the strategic ties between South Africa and Russia. Pretoria has maintained a neutral stance on the war, consistently advocating for dialogue and negotiation rather than taking sides.
This approach contrasts with the position of former president Jacob Zuma's MK party, which has openly criticised Ukraine, blaming it for escalating the crisis. Zuma has previously argued that NATO countries provoked the conflict to undermine the BRICS alliance, which includes Russia and South Africa.