‘You cannot remain neutral’ — Russian ambassador tells ANC Russian-Ukraine dialogue delegates

The words non-aligned (or neutral) to the AU and rest of the world will definitely not be used or clamoured for by Pretoria in the HYPOTHETICAL situation when Zimbabwe attack and invade SA on the premises that during the Rhodes era the then Rhodesia was deemed to be part of SA as territories of the British Empire. Let Pretoria place itself in the position of Ukraine which did not provoke the invasion and then comment from this position.

The problem with the ANC regime it does not have a national security strategy that ought to inform the foreign policy of the country. What we have is the ANC foreign policy that is not the South African foreign policy. You build consensus on the foreign policy that is informed by the national economic and security interests not by ANC sentimental attachments and relations with the despotic and kleptocratic regime of a thug like Putin. The capitalist and homophobic regime of Putin violated the UN Charter and international law on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine as a member state of the United Nations. We cannot be neutral to the principles of the United Nations that we signed upon and the drivel from the ANC and Mbeki does not wash. We were not neutral on Iraq war waged under the false pretext and lies by the US of non existent weapons of mass destruction and Mbeki is speaking on both sides of his mouth. The nonsense of the security interests of Russia that Mbeki and Kasrils talk about are pure nonsense because the Budapest Agreements and the various iterations of the Minsk Agreements deal with these issues including the issues that thug called Putin raised in the Munich Security Conference in 2008. The political jay walking by Ramaphosa in Ukraine and Russia was wasteful expenditure. Russia must be polished out of Ukraine and they must be made to pay for the reparations. Russia has a rag tag military with criminals and nuclear weapons and nothing more.

Mr Ambassador - the regime that you serve in the form of Putin, Lavrov, Peskov, Medvedev etc and that whole hideous Kremlin cabal are nothing but deranged, mass-murderous, evil and bestial monsters, who have no place on this earth. We don't need your pontificating, propaganda, lies and misinformation. Do us all a huge favour and go back to that snake pit that Russia has become the under the vile Putin regime. Freedom, human rights and democracy will trump in the end, no matter what. It always does. I and many many South Africans have nothing but utter disgust, revulsion and contempt for your diabolical regime. You all deserve to burn in Hell for the terror, destruction, torture, rape, mass killings, pain and suffering that you have unleashed. Your hands are dripping in blood of innocent men, women and children! SLAVA UKRAINA and GOD bless UKRAINE!!

What role do the ANCs assets in the CAR which is now controlled by Wagner (Russia) play in their stance?

I wish that Putin attends the BRICS here so that they can overthrow the current Government in his absence and go the way all despots go..

Is it not possible to call for peace by asking the invader to get the hell out?

It seems to me the ANC is selectively pro-imperialism, providing the victims are white. That is a very strange position to take , given historically they were pro-IRA for example, against British sovereignty. Perhaps the position is best described as anti-Anglo-Saxon.

I believe the correct response to this is to ask the ambassador when Russia will apologise unconditionally for using what is in practise it's omnipotence as a permanent member of the UN security council to veto Anti-Apartheid resolutions and international actions aimed at fighting Apartheid. You know, because perspective.

Agree ambassador. most of SA is on Ukraine’s side so suggest your president stays at home!

South Africa's leadership hopefully have seen enough to make a clear minded decision: does SA stand with Russia; a failed state; a state guilty of unspeakable atrocities around the world; a state that through its own political deeds isolated itself ideologically, geopolitically and economically. Russian ambassador Ilya Rogachev's statement smacks of desperation. There's nothing positive that can come out of SA's now lowering relationship with Russia. Ramaphosa's 'mediation' attempt with Russia ended up not being so neutral and non-partisan after all. As Ramaphosa made it clear to Russia, that the ramifications of the war was causing pain in Africa. It was clear that the African Union Member state representatives were not at all happy with Putin's wrecking ball attitude. As that wrecking ball extends to political meddling throughout Africa. I trust that SA leadership will have the courage and political backbone to send Ambassador Ilya Rogachev a clear message to get packing and that outright challenges to African leadership on their position will not be tolerated. Stable trade, strong economic growth and political stability depends more on relationships westwards than with that of Russia. China the largest BRICS member will not back Russia dispite rhetoric to the contrary, as China's future is linked to the west not Russia. There's no logic in the AU continuing symbolically backing Russia.