A Kremlin statement said after a phone conversation between the two presidents that Putin and Ramaphosa “expressed their intention to consolidate their relations, for the common interest in several areas.”
According to Moscow, the telephone conversation took place “on the initiative of the South African side”.
An American accusation and a firm South African response
The meeting comes amid strained relations between the United States and South Africa, as the latter summoned the United States ambassador to a meeting at the Foreign Office on Friday due to the accusations he made the day before, that the country “supplied arms and ammunition to Russia during its war in Ukraine”. South Africa’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (MoFA) said that “amid the diplomatic fallout over the US allegations, South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor will also meet with Secretary of State American Antony Blinken”. US Ambassador to South Africa Robin Brighetti said on Thursday that “South Africa loaded arms and ammunition onto a sanctioned Russian vessel at Simon’s Town Naval Base near Cape Town in December this year. last”. Brigetti added that the weapons “were then transferred to Russia”, adding: “We (the United States) are satisfied that weapons were loaded on this ship, and I will bet my life on the accuracy of this confirmation” . He also described the “armament” of Russia by South Africa as “a priori unacceptable”, according to the Associated Press. Foreign Office spokesman Clayson Monyela said South Africa would take “action” against Brighetti over his allegations, a diplomatic term for an official complaint. Monyela also said in a tweet on “Twitter” that South Africa “appreciates our relationship with the United States. It is friendly, strong and mutually beneficial.”
South African survey
After Brighetti’s statements, Ramaphosa confirmed that “the investigation is ongoing into the visit of the Russian freighter (Lady R) in December”, noting that “the investigation began before Brighetti announced his accusation”, and that he “would use any evidence in the possession of U.S. intelligence agents regarding the alleged weapons.”
But his office said in a statement that there was currently “no evidence” that any weapons were loaded on the ship in South Africa.
“There is no record of any state-approved arms sales to Russia in connection with the time period or incident in question,” the State Department said in a statement Friday.
The Associated Press said it had independently verified that Lady R visited the South African naval base from December 6-8, as Brigetti alleges.
A review of records by the agency also showed that Lady R was tied to a US-sanctioned company to transport weapons to the Russian government to aid in its war effort.
South Africa’s position on the war in Ukraine
South Africa’s stance on war on Ukraine has alarmed the United States and other Western nations since Africa’s most advanced nation abstained in a vote last year of the United Nations condemning the Russian offensive. South Africa said it would “take a neutral stance on the war and instead call for a diplomatic solution and an end to the fighting.” Observers believe that South Africa “has effectively sided with Russia, having hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for talks in January, and allowing Russian and Chinese warships to use its waters during joint naval exercises off its eastern coast in February”. These exercises coincided with the first anniversary of the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
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