Pandor said, “All countries conduct military exercises with friends.” (file)
South Africa:
South Africa said on Monday it was “friends” with Russia as it hosted Russia’s top diplomat for a visit that drew criticism against the backdrop of war in Ukraine.
South Africa, a continental powerhouse, has refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and last week announced it would host joint maritime exercises with Russia and China in February.
International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor defended the move on Monday, welcoming his counterpart Sergei Lavrov for talks in Pretoria.
“All countries conduct military exercises with friends,” Pandor told a press conference after the talks.
He thanked Lavrov for a “most wonderful meeting”, which he had earlier said would help “consolidate already good relations”, with whom he described as a “valued partner”.
South Africa recently assumed the chairmanship of BRICS, a grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia, India and China, to challenge the dominant US and European-led global governance structures.
It has opposed taking sides on the war in Ukraine, which has triggered sweeping Western sanctions against Moscow and attempted to isolate it diplomatically.
But relations with Moscow have drawn criticism, with some accusing the government of abandoning its neutral stance.
‘Openly favoring Russia’
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the South African government is openly siding with Russia,” said Darren Bergman, MP from the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party.
He said “friendly engagement” with Russia was “not appropriate” unless it aimed to persuade it to end its involvement in Ukraine.
Lavrov said Moscow appreciates the “independent, balanced and considered approach” taken by Pretoria.
He added that Russia did not “rule out talks” with Ukraine.
“But those who deny it must understand that the longer they deny it, the harder it will be to find a solution,” he said.
Authorities in Moscow have accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of closing diplomatic channels, who has said he will not hold talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin while he is in power.
Despite public overtures, the Kremlin has so far shown no willingness to soften its approach on the ground.
In Pretoria, members of the Ukrainian community in South Africa held a small protest against the visit, with some waving signs reading “Go home Lavrov,” and “Stop the lies! Stop the war.”
More than 350 South African military personnel are to take part in the joint naval exercise from February 17 to 27 off the port cities of Durban and Richards Bay.
Last week, Nobel Peace Prize laureate the late South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s foundation described the planned naval exercise as “outrageous” and “akin to a declaration that South Africa is joining the war against Ukraine.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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