Russian, South African presidents discuss Ukrainian settlement

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday discussed the Ukrainian settlement with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, the Kremlin said.

During a phone call with the South African president, Putin shared the main outcomes of yesterday's meeting in Moscow with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, a Kremlin statement said.

"Cyril Ramaphosa expressed gratitude for the information provided. The Russian side also positively noted the well-known peace initiative by African states, including South Africa, aimed at resolving the Ukrainian crisis," it said.

The leaders also discussed the current issues related to further development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and South Africa, it added.

Last week, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Russia's trade partners in the event of a lack of progress in the Ukrainian settlement. South Africa is part of the economic bloc BRICS, together with Russia, Brazil, India, and China.