Russian Foreign Minister in South Africa: Lavrov visiting friends

Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov received a warm welcome during his visit to Pretoria. South Africa describes itself as neutral – and is nevertheless planning joint military maneuvers with Russia.

Smiling faces when shaking hands, jokes during relaxed conversations – this is how Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor appeared. As if nothing had happened, they talked about economic cooperation and presented themselves as good partners – agreeing that the BRICS countries should be given more weight in the world.

Both belong to the Association of Emerging Economic Nations. However, they could not avoid the war in Ukraine. Lavrov accused the West of having prevented a negotiated solution. Translated simultaneously in Pretoria it sounded like this:

“I don’t remember our colleagues from the West or from Ukraine saying that the time was right for a solution. They first had to increase their influence and become more powerful in order to defeat Russia. They want our borders to be the same again as they were drawn in 1991. But as our President says, we do not oppose negotiations.”

The word “war” does not fall

Lavrov has repeatedly emphasized that Ukrainian officials are prohibited by law from negotiating with Russia. South Africa’s Foreign Minister Pandor took no position on this. She presented the South African perspective that peace is always achieved through diplomacy and dialogue. But she did not speak of war:

“It’s important for us to say that we really want the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to be settled peacefully soon, through dialogue and negotiations. I think that’s what we and the whole world want,” Pandor said.

Experts: visit is “image campaign”

Pandor and Lavrov presented themselves as friends and praised their relationship. Some observers were surprised that things went back to business as it were, but not Steven Gruzd. He is a Russia expert at the South African Institute for International Affairs (SAIIA), a non-governmental organization. He sees the visit as a kind of image campaign.

“Russia wants to polish its image and show that it has allies. It tries to use diplomatic propaganda and wants to show that it is not isolated, despite Western sanctions. That it has good, close and longstanding friends in Africa,” says Gruzd.

Majority of people in South Africa oppose war

In fact, say political scientists, Russia is also well regarded among young people. However, studies show that the majority of South Africans reject the Russian war in Ukraine. Alexei Oskolski does the same. He lives in Johannesburg but comes from St. Petersburg and has no understanding that the Russian foreign minister has come to Pretoria.

“I’m a Russian citizen, but I don’t support the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That’s why it annoys me that the South African government has invited the Russian foreign minister and sees him as a worthy partner. This war, which Russia is starting, is absolutely unjust, it There is no reasonable justification for this,” says Oskolski.

South Africa plans military maneuvers with Russia and China

According to its foreign minister, South Africa continues to believe in negotiated solutions. The country has repeatedly offered to be available as a mediator. In just over a month, however, it is planning a joint naval exercise with Russia and China. Russia expert Steven Gruzd sees a sticking point in this: “This comes at a time when South Africa is pretending to be neutral. Nevertheless, there are military maneuvers with Russia and China. This calls neutrality into question. South Africa risks having political consequences itself senses that they might be isolated themselves and given the cold shoulder by Europeans and Americans,” explains Gruzd.

South Africa was given the cold shoulder by demonstrators early in the morning. Ukrainians protested against the visit of the Russian foreign minister: “We want peace”, “Putin’s chief liar should go home”, “Stop Putin!” That was and is the message from opposition parties.