Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin congratulated South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa on his re-election as president, expressing hope for continued joint work on strengthening the partnership between Russia and South Africa. Ramaphosa was re-elected by parliament on Friday, but the failure of his African National Congress party to win a majority in the last month's election prompted the formation of a government made up of five parties. Russia and Ukraine have been jostling for support from African nations since the 2022 invasion, with each country's foreign minister embarking on regional tours.
South Africa's longstanding links with Moscow date back to Soviet times, when Moscow was a prominent backer of liberation movements and the fight to end apartheid. South Africa initially denounced Russia's February 2022 invasion but has since adopted a more nuanced position, including abstaining in several votes in the U.N. General Assembly condemning Russian actions. South Africa attended the Swiss-hosted "peace summit" on Ukraine but declined to sign the final communique, along with India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. As host of a 2023 meeting of the BRICS grouping, South Africa considered inviting Putin to attend despite a warrant from the International Criminal Court of Justice to arrest the Russian leader on allegations of deportation of Ukrainian children.
