South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has said the country backs Russia’s peace efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict through political and diplomatic means. He made this known during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. “This is in line with South Africa’s long stated position during talks with both sides that all wars end through negotiations,” the South African presidency said. Since then, he has held separate talks with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the need for an inclusive peace process involving all parties. Putin and Ramaphosa last spoke in August, when Putin briefed the South African leader on his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska, where discussions focused on ending the conflict.

Source: Nigerian Tribune February 11, 2026 13:00 UTC