ANC government must condemn Ukrainian invasion through BRICS
24 February 2022
The DA calls on the ANC government to use its membership of BRICS to condemn Russia’s invasion of Eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region and to call for Russia’s immediate withdrawal.
South Africa is a signatory to the United Nations Charter which binds all countries “[to] maintain international peace and security….[though] the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace”. Russia has violated this provision and South Africa’s inaction will amount to a tacit condonation of Russia's actions.
In addition the Minister of International Relations, Naledi Pandor, should summon the Russian Ambassador to South Africa , Mr Ilya Igorevich Rogachev, and demand that Russia immediately stops its military campaign in Ukraine and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory.
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has received widespread condemnation across the world and the South African government’s silence is deeply concerning. The Russian President’s dream of an 'Empire' not only poses a threat to Ukraine but to the whole of Eastern Europe. Failure to stop Putin now will be detrimental to world peace.