In New Delhi, India, at the annual BRICS summit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa may discuss ending Russia’s war against Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the leader of the aggressor state. Ukraine’s ambassador to South Africa, Oleksandr Shcherba, said he hopes such a conversation will take place, Daily Maverick reports.
The BRICS leaders’ meeting is due to take place in India on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to Ramaphosa, Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, about 14 more leaders will take part. BRICS currently has 10 full members and 10 partner countries.
Narendra Modi’s statement
On August 31, during a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Modi publicly told Putin that the war in Ukraine should be ended for the sake of humanity. He also said that India would support efforts to achieve peace. According to The Japan Times, the Indian prime minister stressed the need to move from endless war to a cessation of hostilities.
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Shcherba called Modi’s position correct and noted that similar statements by China, South Africa and Brazil could contribute to peace. A source from South African diplomatic circles also expressed hope that Ramaphosa would repeat this appeal at the summit.
South Africa’s position
South African presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said that Ramaphosa has always called for an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On the day Russia invaded Ukraine, February 24, 2022, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation called on Russia to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine and stressed respect for states’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In May, when BRICS foreign ministers met in New Delhi to prepare for the current summit, their statement did not mention Russia’s war against Ukraine. According to the outlet, participants were then focused on the war in Iran and, due to disagreements, were unable to agree on a consensus document, limiting themselves to a chair’s statement.
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