Pretoria — President Cyril Ramaphosa and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation on Thursday afternoon to discuss the ongoing Ukraine peace process and bilateral relations between South Africa and Russia.
According to a statement released by the South African Presidency, the call was initiated at President Putin’s request.
The Russian leader sought to brief Ramaphosa on the latest developments in the Ukraine peace process and discuss issues of mutual strategic interest.
“President Putin expressed his recognition and appreciation for South Africa’s involvement in advancing a peace process between Russia and Ukraine,” the statement said.
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA SPEAKS TO PRESIDENT PUTIN
President @CyrilRamaphosa has this afternoon, 7 August 2025, held a telephone discussion with President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation.
The discussion followed President Putin’s request to brief President Ramaphosa on the… pic.twitter.com/JmWB1bR2rG
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) August 7, 2025
South Africa has been vocal about its stance on multilateralism and has repeatedly called for dialogue and negotiation to resolve global conflicts.
President Ramaphosa welcomed the update from his Russian counterpart and reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to supporting peace initiatives aimed at bringing an end to the war and establishing a lasting resolution between Russia and Ukraine.
The two leaders also agreed to continue engaging on strengthening the strategic partnership between their countries, the statement said.
This development comes as South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency, with a stated aim to promote a more equitable, representative, and fit-for-purpose international order aligned with United Nations multilateral processes.
The Presidency did not provide further details on the content of the briefing or upcoming diplomatic engagements.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
