Russian President Vadimir Putin held phone talks with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.
"At the initiative of the South African side, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Topical issues of Russian-South African strategic partnership were discussed. The readiness was expressed to further intensify mutually beneficial ties in various fields," the Kremlin said in a statement.
Putin supported Ramaphosa's idea to include a group of African leaders in the discussion of the prospects for the conflict resolution in Ukraine and outlined the fundamental assessment of the destructive line of Kiev regime and the West. The president mentioned that Russia was never against diplomacy as well.
The two leaders discussed preparations for the upcoming Second Russia-Africa Summit, which is set to take place in July in Russia's city of Saint Petersburg as well as the Johannesburg BRICS Summit, which is slated for August this year.
The call came against the backdrop of US' allegations that South Africa supplied arms to Russia last December via a Russian ship that docked in Cape Town. South Africa's presidency responded that the accusations "undermine the spirit of cooperation and partnership" between the African country and the US. Washington's Ambassador Reuben Brigety, who made the claims, will be summoned to South Africa's foreign ministry, the latter announced.