Germany's top diplomat is in South Africa to discuss strengthening bilateral ties in fighting climate change, but the war in Ukraine remains a sticking point.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Tuesday that the short-lived uprising in Russia "makes it clear once again that Russia's illegal war of aggression is not just an attack on Ukraine ... but that President Putin is destroying his own country."
Russia's war in Ukraine played a central role in Baerbock's meeting with her South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, in Pretoria.
Though the ministers both stressed the importance of the relations between their two countries, differences about their stances on the war were clear.
How Germany and South Africa differ in dealing with Russia
South Africa has been criticized by Western powers for maintaining close ties to Russia amid the ongoing conflict.
But during a peace mission to Kyiv and Moscow earlier this month, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa insisted it was time for the war to end.
Foreign Minister Pandor, during her meeting with Baerbock, repeated that assertion, saying: "We've got to find ways of ending this war because the suffering and harm should not be allowed to continue."
She said African leaders would "continue to engage with both countries" to try ensure peace.
Baerbock welcomed the African peace initiative, but stressed: "for this suffering to end, the war must end."
"Russia must stop the bombing and withdraw its soldiers. This war is an attack on the UN charter, on the very rules that bind and protects us all," she said.
Putin and the ICC
Baerbock also mentioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) as one of the tools to help ensure justice for the victims of the war.
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She did not directly mention the ICC arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for suspected war crimes.
South Africa, as a member of the ICC, would be required to arrest Putin if he attends the summit of the BRICS group of nations, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, scheduled for August in Johannesburg.
'Just' climate transition
While the war was high on the talks between the two countries, the fight against climate change and its devastating impacts in countries around the world also featured prominently.
"The climate crisis is the biggest threat to our security today," Baerbock said.
Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and the European Union have pledged $8.5 billion (Ꞓ7.3 billion) to help South Africa phase out coal and expand renewable sources of energy.
Baerbock said Germany has already spent about Ꞓ300 million to help stabilize South Africa's electricity grid.
She agreed with her South African counterpart that a just transition was necessary to help, " the country overcome this crisis in a socially acceptable way."
Pandor said that included a focus on ensuring "whatever the transition is, it takes into account the development needs."
(AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)
