South African (SA) President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his country’s support for efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, Ramaphosa’s office said.
“The two leaders also discussed cooperation in key international fora such as Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, SA and the G20,” SA’s presidency said in a statement.
“Ramaphosa and President Putin pledged their support to the process of returning South Africans fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine,” it added.
SA’s government said in November that 17 of its citizens had joined mercenary forces fighting in Ukraine and that the men had sent distress calls for help to return home.
—Reuters—
