Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, was welcomed by his counterpart in Pretoria for meetings on Monday.
“The Russian FM said in a statement; Last year in 2022 we commemorated 30 years of diplomatic relations between South Africa and the Russian Federation. The rich history of our relations of course date back to the period of the struggle against apartheid which the people of South Africa fought in their quest for political and economic freedom. “
South Africa, a regional heavyweight, has resisted western pressure to criticise Russia and defended its impartial stance on the Ukraine conflict.
At a news conference held in advance of the meeting, Pandor stated that the discussions would “strengthen the existing good relations” between the two nations. Sitting alongside Lavrov she described Russia as a “valued partner”.
Recently, South Africa took over as head of the BRICS, a coalition that also consists of Brazil, Russia, India, and China and was formed to oppose the prevailing US- and European-led global governance systems.
It was revealed last week that in February, off the port city of Durban and Richards Bay, it would organize 10-day combined maritime exercises with Russia and China.