By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A Warsaw bound cargo plane is loaded with humanitarian aid, including medical supplies destined for Ukraine, at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada, March 9, 2022. (Photo for illustration: Cole Burston / AFP).
Ramaphosa has reaffirmed his commitment to further develop bilateral relations with Russia.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed his commitment to further develop bilateral relations with Russia.
Ramaphosa called Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
He said in a tweet that he had wanted to “gain an understanding of the situation that was unfolding between Russia and Ukraine”.
Thanking His Excellency President Vladimir Putin for taking my call today, so I could gain an understanding of the situation that was unfolding between Russia and Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/jzuWXyIjfL
— Cyril Ramaphosa ?? (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 10, 2022
“I outlined our position on the conflict that has unfolded as well as our belief that the conflict should be resolved through mediation and negotiation between the parties and – if need be – with the help of agencies that can help bring a solution to the conflict,” Ramaphosa said on his Twitter account.
I outlined our position on the conflict that has unfolded as well as our belief that the conflict should be resolved through mediation and negotiation between the parties and – if need be – with the help of agencies that can help bring a solution to the conflict.
— Cyril Ramaphosa ?? (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 10, 2022
“Putin appreciated our balanced approach. We believe this position enables both parties to subject the conflict to mediation and negotiation. Based on our relations with the Russian Federation and as member of BRICS, South Africa has been approached to play a mediation role.”
President Putin appreciated our balanced approach. We believe this position enables both parties to subject the conflict to mediation & negotiation. Based on our relations with the Russian Federation & as member of BRICS, South Africa has been approached to play a mediation role.
— Cyril Ramaphosa ?? (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 10, 2022
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Tyron Seale has not yet responded to questions about the conversation.
In a statement, the Kremlin said the leaders had exchanged congratulations on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and South Africa.
The two presidents also “reaffirmed their commitment to further develop the bilateral strategic partnership, noting, in particular, their readiness to expand trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation, as well as joint Covid-19 response efforts”.
“The presidents underscored the importance of continuing interaction within the BRICS framework and at other international venues.”
The statement further noted that, at the request of Ramaphosa, Putin spoke about the “reasons for and goals of the special military operation to protect Donbas”.
“He also informed the South African leader about the situation regarding talks with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities.”
“The President of South Africa supported the ongoing political and diplomatic efforts,” the Kremlin said.
The conversation happened as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine entered its 15th day. While talks are under way between Russia and Ukraine, the war, which the bombing of cities has exacerbated, continues.
The South African government has been accused of fence-sitting by not taking sides in the conflict.
There will be no fast-track procedure for Ukraine EU membership, German chancellor says
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday said that he rejects a fast-track procedure for Ukraine’s membership in the European Union.
“It is very important that we continue to pursue the things that we have indeed decided in the past,” Scholz told reporters on Thursday ahead of an EU summit in Versailles, France.
Scholz referred to the association agreement that the EU and Ukraine concluded in 2017 that aims to deepen political and economic ties. “This is the course we have to follow,” Scholz said.
The German leader insinuated that with 27 EU membership states, it is already difficult to reach unanimous decisions in the EU on issues such as foreign, economic and financial policy. He said that the EU must continue to develop in perspective “when it comes to bringing about decisions, making majority decisions possible.”
Speaking in Versailles ahead of the summit, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte also rebuffed Ukraine’s call for a fast-track EU membership.
“There’s no such thing as a fast-tracking of accession, such a thing doesn’t exist.”
Turkey’s foreign minister says Putin is not against direct talks with Ukrainian president
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is not against direct talks with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. Cavusoglu has said as much to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while speaking at a Thursday press conference in Antalya, following the trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia and Turkey.
“It’s been said that Zelensky is ready for this kind of meeting, and Putin is not against it in principle. Putin also mentioned this idea to President Erdoğan,” Cavusoglu said at the press conference.
Cavusoglu also said the face-to-face meeting between Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov — facilitated and held in Turkey earlier Thursday, and which resulted in no breakthroughs — was at least a start.
“No one should expect miracles with one meeting, but a ministerial level meeting is an important start”, the Turkish foreign minister said.
My dear Ukrainians!
We are of different ages and gender, we are of different blood and faith, but all of us today have one name — Ukrainians.
And I am proud to share this name with you.
In my entire life, I have never felt so much pride, pain and anger as I have during these days.
Although sometimes it seems that both our land and our hearts have been burning in fire not for 15 days but for eternity.
Russians have been bombing Kharkiv and Chernihiv, Sumy and Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Mykolayiv for eternity.
Ukrainian children and women in labor have been killed on Putin’s orders for eternity.
The brutal siege of Mariupol has been going on for an eternity.
For eternity, the residents of Irpen, Bucha, and Vorzel have been hiding in basements from Russian Nazi shelling.
For all eternity, the whole world has seen the superhuman courage of our soldiers, the dedication of our volunteers, the resilience and unity of civilians.
Invincibility and willingness to sacrifice always live in our hearts. It’s just like a volcanic eruption: it’s hard to wake up, but it’s impossible to contain. No one ever can stop our people when they rise for freedom of their homeland.
Here’s to our future. For our freedom.
I’m staying at home, in Ukraine, because all of us are on our native land, there’s no other. And to defend it we will all be together until the victory itself. No division on party columns, no personal interests and old faces. United around the Flag, Army, President.
Ukraine is not Russia. And it will never become Russia. Can’t wait.
We are already winning. And it’s not going to stop.
And to the address of the Russian Federation I will only say that I am joining the words of my compatriots who in one voice say: You be damned!
Glory to Ukraine!
Glory to Ukrainians!
SA students to return home from Ukraine
A partnership between the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and pharmaceutical company, Aspen Pharmacare, will see the return of 10 South African students from the conflict-ridden Ukraine.
The students, many of whom have limited resources, were forced to flee the Ukraine into neighbouring countries in the wake of the raging armed conflict.
The 10, who are studying across various universities in the Ukraine, will arrive in the country this morning.
“The students and other nationals crossed into neighbouring countries like Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Most did not have the means to return home.
“After learning of the plight of these students, Aspen Pharmacare joined forces with DIRCO to expedite both the travel arrangements and funding required to assist with their safe return to South Africa. The first group of 10 students will arrive this morning, 10 March 2022, on an Air France Flight at OR Tambo International Airport,” said Aspen and DIRCO in a joint statement on Thursday.
Aspen Group Senior Executive for Strategic Trade, Stavros Nicolaou, said the Ukraine conflict has created “a significant humanitarian crisis, from which a number of South African students studying abroad in the Ukraine have been severely impacted”.
“After the weekend appeal to our government and corporate South Africa from many of these students, Aspen, which has a presence in the Ukraine and neighbouring territories decided join forces with [the] South African government to ensure the timeous and safe return of these students to their home country, so that they can be united with their loved ones.
“Our students are our future, and it is important that the spirit of ubuntu prevailed and that together with our government, we were able to move swiftly to ensure their safe and timely return.”
Nicolaou said he is hopeful that the students will be able to resume their studies in the not-too-distant future.
“We expect 23 of the 25 students to be safely home by the weekend and the remaining two to return next week.”
Deputy Director-General at DIRCO, Clayson Monyela, has thanked Aspen for the partnership.
“We would like to thank Aspen Pharmacare for heeding the call of our government to partner with us and bring our citizens back home. We also want to extend a word of gratitude to all our ambassadors, team of diplomats and South African volunteers (at home and abroad), who played a role in this project. This is the diplomacy of ubuntu in practice,” he said.
UK govt freezes Chelsea boss Abramovich’s assets, club sale effectively put on hold
Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich was on Thursday hit with an assets freeze and travel ban as part of new UK government sanctions targeting seven Russian oligarchs.
Among others sanctioned are leading industrialist Oleg Deripaska, Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin and the head of Gazprom Alexei Miller, the government announced.
Speculation has swirled for weeks about whether Abramovich would be included on the targeted action against Russian billionaires perceived to be close to the Kremlin.
Abramovich announced last week that he was selling Chelsea, after buying the English Premier League side in 2003, and bankrolled its successes at domestic and European level.
The UK government estimated his net worth at £9.4 billion (11.1 billion euros, $12.2 billion), but said it was mitigating the effect of the sanctions on Chelsea by allowing the club to continue to operate.
A special licence “authorises a number of football-related activities”, the government said in a statement.
“This includes permissions for the club to continue playing matches and other football-related activity which will in turn protect the Premier League, the wider football pyramid, loyal fans and other clubs,” it added.
This means the sale of Chelsea has been shelved for the time being.
Added to that, no merchandise sales will be allowed and no player transfers or new contracts can be made.
Chelsea will also not be allowed to sell any more tickets as only season ticket holders can go to games for the foreseeable future.
Cabinet remains concerned about Russia-Ukraine conflict
Cabinet remains deeply concerned by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying the socio-economic cost of the conflict is devastating and its impact will be felt around the world.
Addressing a post Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said Cabinet calls for a negotiated diplomatic solution. The executive has urged all parties to uphold and protect human rights, and abide by their obligations in terms of international law and international humanitarian law.
“Government continues to assist South African citizens to leave the Ukraine and a number of them have since returned home. We have also expressed our concern at the ill treatment of Africans trying to cross international borders during this time,” Gungubele said.
The Minster said Cabinet believes that developing countries must enjoy a greater share of voice and influence in institutions of global governance.
“South Africa therefore advocates for a more equitable international system and for the reform of multilateral institutions to promote greater equality,” he said.
Ukraine athletes appeal for peace as they hold a minute’s silence at 2022 Winter Paralympics
Ukrainian athletes and officials called for an end to the war in their country as they observed a minute’s silence at the Beijing Paralympics on Thursday.
Led by Ukrainian Paralympic Committee president Valerii Sushkevych, the entire delegation held up a “Peace For All” banner in the Zhangjiakou Athletes Village, accompanied by raised fists.
“It’s not only one-minute solidarity. Today one minute was about thousands of people, including children and people with disabilities,” said Sushkevych.
“Today all civilized mankind looks in solidarity at this terrible war in our country, but I want to ask you (about your) role. If mankind is civilized, (it) must not overlook, (it) must stop the war in my country.
“(There) must be an understanding that children, people, women must live, not die. Today many, many people died. Stop war. If you are civilized, you must stop war.”
Ukraine’s team captain Grigorii Vovchyynski called for a no-fly zone over the country.
“It (war) must be stopped now. It’s not life for Ukraine, it’s not life for our children, no future for all the world. Everyone (who) saw it, you must do something. Please close the sky above Ukraine.”
Head coach Andriy Nesterenko added that seven members of the team were from Kharkiv, a city which in under ongoing attack by Russian forces.
Nesterenko said some of them will not “have the possibility to come back,” adding: “Their flats, their private houses are already destroyed.”
“We kindly ask the people all over the world, we need your support immediately. We need your support today, not later.”
Ukrainian athletes have so far claimed six gold medals at the Games and sit third in the table behind China and Canada.
3 dead after Mariupol maternity hospital bombing
Three people died after they were injured in a Russian bomb attack on a maternity hospital in southern Ukraine, Mariupol city council said Thursday.
As of today, we know that after the terrorist bombing by Russian aircraft of the children’s hospital in Mariupol there are 17 victims — children, women, doctors — and three died, among them one child, a girl,” the council said.
The full extent of the casualties is unclear but preliminary reports said at least 17 people were injured in the bombing.
The Ukrainian government said it is opening humanitarian corridors in several parts of the country Thursday.
As of 10 a.m. local time it was not clear whether the corridors — designed to allow civilians to escape to safer regions — had been agreed with Russia or international humanitarian agencies.
Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukrainian minister of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, said on Facebook the corridors would apply to three routes in eastern Ukraine — Sumy to Poltava, Trostianets to Poltava and Krasnopilllia to Poltava.Another corridor is set to be opened from the eastern city of Izium to the city of Lozova in Kharkiv region.