Former South African president, Jacob Zuma has expressed support for the Russian President Vladimir Putin in his present confrontation with Ukraine over NATO membership.
Zuma’s comment comes days after South Africa abstained from voting at a UN resolution to condemn Russia’s action in Ukraine.
In a statement by his Jacob Zuma foundation, the former president said, Putin’s actions were justified given his consistent stance against the eastern expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation into Ukraine.
Zuma was quoted to have added that- “Ukraine and Russia are separated only by a line on the map and not by the Baltic Sea — why is this complicated to understand? If forces, globally known to be hostile to the USA, were known to be establishing the presence of any sort in any of the adjacent territories, the USA would certainly act in a manner that it believes would neutralise such a perceived threat.”
“I am certain that his excellency Vladimir Putin will reciprocate and will bring in all his power to make peace a reality, as I know him to be a man of peace who has worked hard to ensure peace and stability across the globe,” he added.