Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday urged SA to arrest Russian leader Vladmir Putin should he step into the country for the Brics summit later in the year.
On Wednesday, Kuleba confirmed that Ukraine had received information that SA had aided Russia in its war efforts by providing that country with ammunition. But he added his country will wait for the outcome of the SA government’s inquiry into the matter.
Kuleba’s statement puts more pressure on the government to dump its nonaligned stance in the conflict and stick to its obligations as a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“The very fact that its getting more and more difficult for Putin to go anywhere in the world is welcome... If SA is a party to the Rome Statute it has to abide by its rules and provisions, therefore president Putin should not step on SA soil,” he told reporters.
“If he [Putin] does, he should be arrested. But in the end every country decides for itself to follow rules ... I don’t care where the Brics summit is held. What really matters is respect for rules and principles.”
Kuleba said SA’s perceived closeness to Russia did not worry him and was a reality that Ukraine has to face in light of the ongoing conflict.
Kuleba endorsed the African-led peace mission to Moscow and Kyiv, saying that he has “no prejudice” against Africa’s leaders even though they have not all condemned Russia and supported Ukraine in the war. He, however, said that any peace proposal brought forward by the African heads of states will only be endorsed by Ukraine if it adheres to various principles including respecting territorial integrity of Ukraine and no freezing of the conflict.
“We will see through their proposed action if they are acting in good faith,” he said.
Kuleba’s media briefing came on the same day the Kremlin confirmed President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, had spoken. The leaders discussed preparations for the Brics annual summit, which is scheduled to be held in Johannesburg in August.
The telephonic discussion amid reports that the government could move the Brics summit from SA to China to solve Pretoria’s conundrum of being compelled to act on the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) warrant of arrest against Putin.
Business Day reported on Wednesday that the cabinet is set to consider moving the summit to China, which is not a signatory to the ICC’s Rome Statute, following legal opinion received by the presidency. The report is said to have concluded that SA cannot avoid arresting Putin should he land on its shores.
A statement from the Kremlin following the discussions by the two heads of state, however, indicates that SA is still preparing for the summit to be held in Johannesburg.
“They [Ramaphosa and Putin] also touched upon the preparations for the second Russia-Africa summit scheduled for late July in St Petersburg and the upcoming BRICS summit in Johannesburg in August . The mood was expressed to continue close co-ordination of the work of Russia and South Africa on international platforms,” the Kremlin’s statement said.
The discussions between the pair are also ahead of the Africa peace mission to Kyiv and Moscow where six African heads of state, including Ramaphosa, are expected to push for a political solution to end the more than year-long conflict in the region.
“It was agreed that Vladimir Putin would soon receive a delegation of a number of African heads of state.”
Criticism
SA has faced heavy criticism over its seemingly pro-Russia foreign policy stance. This follows its repeated refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at world forums, as well as a joint naval exercise off the KwaZulu-Natal coast in February and the docking of a Russian cargo vessel in Simon’s Town Naval Base carrying unknown cargo in December.
But both SA and the Russian government have denied the claims, with Ramaphosa appointing a panel headed by judge Phineas Mathale and Deon Mojapelo as chair.
The Sunday Times reported that the government has decided to not publicly disclose the findings of the inquiry because it covers issues of national security and classified information, which are protected from disclosure.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.