Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Dr Naledi Pandor in Pretoria. Image: DIRCO
This is the first time that Minister Sergey Lavrov will be visiting South Africa since Russia invaded Ukraine almost a year ago.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Dr Naledi Pandor in Pretoria. Image: DIRCO
Minister Sergey Lavrov is in South Africa on the formal invitation of Minister Naledi Pandor.
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Prof Irina Filatova, professor emeritus and senior research fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal shared her thoughts on the visit.
While South Africa has always positioned itself as neutral throughout the Russian and Ukraine war, Filatova says that the trip simply came at an “awkward” time.
This neutrality is in my view rather bogus because South Africa has never, never said anything to denounce Russia’s invasion.
says Filatova.
According to Filatova, the trip by the minister is expected to solidify and strengthen relations between Russia and South Africa.
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More about the trip, according to Filatova:
As of this morning, on 23 January 2023, the two ministers have already exchanged views on common bilateral, regional and multilateral issues.
Diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Africa were established on February 28, 1992.
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