Russia, Ukraine conflict could be caused by NATO’s expansion: Zuma

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Former President Jacob Zuma says he believes the source of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is the expansion of western military alliance, Nato.

NATO and Ukraine have been discussing possible accession to the military alliance since the mid 90s.

Russia invaded Ukraine 16 months ago, but has faced tough resistance from Ukrainian forces.

Zuma was speaking on the sidelines of a South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) mini-rally at KwaXimba west of Durban.

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa took part in an African leader’s peace delegation to Ukraine and Russia.

He met both Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to broker peace between the two countries.

Zuma believes Western countries are not happy about the existence of the BRICS formation.

“I think Russia has been saying this is their neighbour, you can’t in a neigbhouring country bring Nato to interfere with Russia, when you don’t even [have] a country in the Middle East or Africa to think independently. You go there, you attack and do everything. But you need to find a solution to solve a problem and this war is in fact linked to the existence of BRICS. But unfortunately, you can’t crush BRICS. Of course, peace is necessary, wherever there is a fight or clash, you need to come in and do [broker] peace.”

President Ramaphosa on Ukraine-Russian peace mission: