Ramaphosa Says Russia-Ukraine Conflict Must Be Resolved Peacefully

President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, noting that it must be resolved by negotiation and peaceful means.

The 70-year-old president shared this statement via his weekly newsletter after the U.S. claimed that South Africa supplied weapons to Russia in order to support the country against Ukraine. Since the conflict began, South Africa has taken a neutral stance.

"Consistent with our stance on conflicts in other parts of the world, South Africa's view is that the international community needs to work together to urgently achieve a cessation of hostilities and to prevent further loss of life and displacement of civilians in Ukraine," Ramaphosa said in his newsletter, SANews reported.

He continued, "It needs to support meaningful dialogue towards a lasting peace, which ensures the security and stability of all nations."

President Ramaphosa noted that as a country, South Africa is "committed to the articles of the United Nations Charter, including the principle that all members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means."

He explained that South Africa supports the principle of refraining from the "threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of other States."

The president went on to mention that South Africa seeks to contribute to the creation of conditions that will "make the achievement of a durable resolution of the conflict possible."

He noted that the Russia-Ukraine conflict will never resolve via military means, instead, it requires political solution.

Furthermore, Ramaphosa clarified that South Africa's non-alignment stance doesn't favor Russia. "Nor do we accept that it should imperil our relations with other countries," he added.

In the newsletter, he also disclosed meeting with USA President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to clarify South Africa's non-alignment position and called for a peaceful resolution of the Eastern European conflict.

"In all our interactions with these countries, we restate our belief that the United Nations remains the only viable mechanism through which the global community can strive for peace and common development," he continued.

However, the president pointed out that the Ukraine conflict has highlighted the weaknesses in the structure and practices of the United Nations, noting that "the composition of the UN Security Council, in particular, does not reflect the realities of the current global landscape."

"It needs to be overhauled so that there is equitable representation and a more inclusive mechanism for resolving international disputes," the president added.

President Ramaphosa emphasized that South Africa is a sovereign state, which is governed by a democratic constitution while being committed to international law.

The president also noted that the country has come under "extraordinary pressure" to leave its neutral position and take sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"South Africa's position on this issue was well explained by my envoy, Prof Sydney Mufamadi, and his delegation who recently traveled to Washington DC for discussions with representatives of the United States government," he said.

Ramaphosa concluded, "We are determined, in both word and action, to maintain our position on the peaceful resolution of conflict. Guided by the lessons of our history, we will continue to resist calls, from whatever quarter, to abandon our independent and non-aligned foreign policy."