South Africa is not indifferent to what is going on in Ukraine. We are deeply concerned about the continuing conflict, the loss of lives and the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation. As a matter of urgency, there must be a cessation of hostilities, which would be the first step in a comprehensive response to the humanitarian crisis. We continue to stress that dialogue, mediation, and diplomacy are the only means to end the current conflict. As South Africa stated in the United Nations General Assembly, wars end when dialogue begins, and wars endure when there is no dialogue.
We have in our statements made calls for all parties in this conflict to respect The Laws of Wars, including respect for the Principles of Distinction, which enjoins all combatants to ensure civilians are not harmed.