On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on his re-election, therefore highlighting the ongoing friendly ties between the two countries in spite of world concerns about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to a Kremlin statement, both leaders expressed hope for further cooperation to deepen the ties between Russia and South Africa. This dialogue tracks the re-election of Ramaphosa by the South African parliament on Friday. But this re-election follows the African National Congress (ANC) failing to get a majority in the most recent elections, resulting in a coalition government made of five parties.
Russia and Ukraine have been aggressively looking for backing from African nations through different diplomatic interactions since their invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Along with other African countries, South Africa’s relationships with Russia have historical origins in the support of liberation groups under the apartheid era, especially for the ANC, by the Soviet Union.
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Although South Africa first denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its posture has evolved. The nation abstained from many UN General Assembly votes against Russia’s activities. Recently South Africa joined India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia in not signing the final communique after attending a Swiss-hosted peace meeting on Ukraine.
When South Africa hosts a 2023 BRICS meeting, it presents a diplomatic conundrum on whether to admit Putin given an International Criminal Court order for his detention pertaining to the claimed deportation of Ukrainian children. Putin decided not to make it to the summit at last.
This latest correspondence between Putin and Ramaphosa indicates continuous attempts to preserve and enhance bilateral relations between Russia and South Africa in face of intricate world dynamics.
