President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday evening held another telephone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said.

Russia’s UrduPoint News and Sputnik news agencies reported on Wednesday that the two leaders, who belong to the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (Brics) bloc, discussed developmental and bilateral relations. 

“The topical issues of further development of the bilateral strategic partnership were discussed,” read a statement from the Kremlin.

The leaders touched on the African initiative to settle the Ukrainian conflict. 

This is not the first time that Ramaphosa has spoken to Putin. He has also spoken to  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since the war broke out in February 2022.

Last month TimesLIVE reported that during a phone call between Ramaphosa and Zelensky, the latter warned Ramaphosa against “arming the aggressor”.

Zelensky said: “I spoke about the peace formula, about justice and that our world should be united by the rules of international law. Anyone who helps the aggressor with a weapon will be accomplice, with all the consequences.   

“I called on Mr President [Ramaphosa] to join together with other countries, all continents and Africa to work to implement our peace formula.”

Zelensky was referring to allegations that arms had been loaded on to a Russian ship, the Lady R, in Simon’s Town. Ramaphosa has instituted an inquiry to establish the facts. 

That same week international relations spokesperson Clayson Monyela tweeted that Ramaphosa had also spoken to Putin. 

The phone calls come as African leaders prepare to undertake a peace mission to both countries in an effort to end the war. 

Speaking on the sidelines of a state visit by Portugal’s Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Tuesday, international relations minister Naledi Pandor said the programme for the Ukraine visit was ready and the Russian programme was being finalised.

Pandor, who is one of the leaders organising of the “road to peace” journey, confirmed on Tuesday that she and her counterparts will be advancing to Kyiv, Ukraine, to start preparing for negotiations with Zelensky and Putin, in a bid to bring a negotiated end to the war.

“We are working on logistics. A train journey has to be undertaken from Poland to Kyiv and we have to ensure is both comfortable and secure for the seven African heads of state.

“We will be going early as foreign ministers next week to be part of the advance team so that when the seven arrive all arrangements will be in place,” she said.

Ramaphosa confirmed on Tuesday that his counterparts were ready to undertake the journey in mid-June. 

TimesLIVE