With regard to her department’s media release of 24 February 2022 wherein South Africa calls on Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine in line with the United Nations Charter, as well as the contents of the newsletter by the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, on 7 March 2022, wherein he explains that South Africa abstained from voting in last week’s United Nations resolution on the escalating conflict between Russia and its neighbour Ukraine because the resolution did not foreground the call for meaningful engagement (details furnished), what exactly is South Africa’s latest policy position regarding the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine;
(2) Whether the Government intends to put pressure on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine; if not, why not; if so, what are the details of the steps that the Government is going to take in this regard ?