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South Africa maintains that the Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved without Russia’s direct participation in peace talks, Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola has said.
Speaking to RT in Moscow, Lamola reiterated that Pretoria has consistently called for peaceful solutions through dialogue. According to the diplomat, the upcoming visit of Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to South Africa is a continuation of Pretoria’s efforts to ensure that all views, including those of Moscow, are heard.
Lamola stated that South Africa was among the first countries to insist that Russia be included in any peace talks, adding: “There won’t be any solution without Russia being at the table.”
Responding to a question on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Lamola underscored the importance of international law. Without the rule of law, “it will be the law of the jungle, where the might become right and the weak become wrong,” he said, adding that Pretoria continues to treat the ICJ as the highest multilateral body for resolving global disputes. The minister confirmed that South Africa is awaiting Israel’s official response to the memorial it submitted to the court last June, which is due by June 2025.
Lamola also responded to comments by Elon Musk, a close ally and adviser to US President Donald Trump, who has accused South Africa of “genocide” against white farmers over its land reforms. Trump has said the US could close several embassies and consulates in Africa, including in South Africa, and has refused to participate in G20 meetings hosted by Pretoria.
The diplomat rejected the US accusations as “falsehoods,” explaining that South Africa’s land reform initiatives are constitutionally mandated and aimed at addressing historical injustices caused by apartheid. “More than 70% of the land in South Africa is owned by white people and the majority of the population is black, almost 80% of the South African population,” Lamola said. He added that the law is required to change existing ownership structures, and that this process is carried out “with the clear safeguards.”
Asked about Trump’s proposed tariffs on South African goods, Lamola stressed that Pretoria values its relationship with Washington but is prepared to diversify its partnerships. “We continue to open lines of communications with Washington,” he said, “but we are also open to the diversification of our economy, to look in the East.”
The minister highlighted the growing cooperation between Russia and South Africa in areas such as education, science, space exploration, and technology. He noted that bilateral agreements with Moscow contribute to economic diversification and give Pretoria access to platforms it might not find elsewhere.
“There must be no unilateralism on the issues of trade or on geopolitics,” Lamola concluded.
