President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is hopeful that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will come to an end sooner.

Delivering a keynote address at the 30th Anniversary of investment company Ninety One, in Cape Town, President Ramaphosa reiterated the need for the conflict to be mediated as it also affects South Africa.

He said that just as South Africa has not been spared the economic impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, so too will the country be affected by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

“We are already seeing the impact of the conflict on global commodity prices and, should the conflict continue, we will see its effects on many parts of our economy and in the daily lives of our people.”

The President said that he has spoken to President Putin about how this conflict can be mediated and brought to an end.

“We’ve been picking up some positive news and when I spoke to President Putin, I got a sense that we are looking at an agreement possibly in the making soon because he too would like to bring this conflict to an end, and I think the President of Ukraine would also like to do that, and I’m hoping to speak to him as well,” he said.

The President emphasised that it is vital that the international community work with the governments of Russia and Ukraine to end hostilities now and achieve a meaningful and lasting peace.

“Nobody benefits from war, and that war must come to an end soon,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency