Johannesburg - Former president Jacob Zuma has criticised Nato, which leads the expansion of the Western military alliance towards Eastern Europe, leading to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Zuma, who spoke on the sidelines of an SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) rally in KwaXimba, west of Durban, on the weekend, said this expansion had contributed to the Russia-Ukraine crisis that saw President Cyril Ramaphosa leading a delegation of African leaders to these two warring countries.
The former head of state spoke to the SABC News team, saying Russia had argued against Nato interference in neighbouring countries and highlighted the need for independent thinking.
“I think Russia has been saying this is their neighbour; you can’t bring Nato into a neighbouring country to interfere with Russia when you don’t even have a country in the Middle East or Africa to think independently. You go there, you attack, and you do everything. But you need to find a solution to solve a problem, and this war is in fact linked to the existence of BRICS. But, unfortunately, you can’t crush the BRICS. Of course, peace is necessary; wherever there is a fight or clash, you need to come in and broker peace,” Zuma said.
These comments follow President Cyril Ramaphosa’s participation in an African leaders’ peace delegation to Ukraine and Russia, where he, along the presidents of Comoros, Senegal and Zambia, as well as Egypt’s prime minister and top envoys from the Republic of Congo and Uganda, visited Ukraine and Russia on the weekend.
On Saturday, Ramaphosa said both Russia’s and Ukraine’s presidents had shown a willingness to listen to African leaders regarding the impact of the ongoing war between the two countries.
The African leaders concluded their peace mission on Saturday, following engagements with the two heads of state.
Ramaphosa said the trip was impactful, adding that while it would not immediately end the war, he was hopeful that their proposals would be taken into consideration.
“We also added that the humanitarian assistance must get to the people who are suffering in the war, and part of that must be about the release of prisoners of war as well as the release of the children who were taken out of Ukraine and to be returned back,” he said.
The Star