There was no mutiny in Russia, says Naledia Pandor in meeting with German counterpart

International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. (Photo: Dirco/Twitter)

• International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor hosted her German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, on Tuesday. 
• Baerbock said the internal turmoil witnessed in Russia at the weekend was proof Russian President Vladimir Putin was destroying his own country. 
• Pandor downplayed this past weekend’s developments insisting there was no successful mutiny, but an attempted mutiny. 

German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock took a tough stance against Russia in her Tuesday diplomatic meeting with International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor, saying Vladimir Putin was destroying his own country. 

Baerbock was on a bilateral visit to South Africa. 

Her trip was intended to start on Sunday, but she was held up in Europe at the weekend for European Union discussions on developments and the mutiny led by the Wagner Group in Russia.

At the weekend, Wagner mercenaries, led by Putin’s former aid Yevgeny Prigozhin, marched towards Moscow. 

Prigozhin attempted insurgency began with his criticism of the reasons given by the Russian government for the war in Ukraine. 

Media reports stated he was exiled to Belarus as part of a deal struck with the Kremlin. 

READ | Wagner Group to stay put in Africa with Putin’s blessing

Baerbock held closed-door discussions with Pandor on various matters, but during a media briefing, the war in Ukraine took centre stage. 

When the German foreign minister was asked about the developments in Russia at the weekend, she said the clashes proved Putin was destroying Ukraine and his own country by continuing the invasion. 

“This is an internal affair of Russia, and we do not interfere there. This weekend’s events show that this illegal war on aggression is not only an attack on the European peace order, but that Putin was destroying his own country with this war.

“Thousands of people have left the country. These events have shown that Putin is undermining his own country’s security. This war must end,” Baerbock. 

Contrary to her German counterpart, Pandor took the middle ground on South Africa’s perspective on the mutiny. 

She said as far as the Department of International Relations and Cooperation understood it, there was no mutiny in Russia, and the developments at the weekend were up for interpretation. 

“The is no mutiny, there was an attempted mutiny, and that is the language I would use. It will not affect our intention to engage with both Ukraine and Russia.

“I really doubt that a few, even if it is Wagner, soldiers would have been able to complete that march to Moscow and pose a threat to the established forces there,” Pandor added. 

“What we do know is that we need to find ways of ending this war.” 

She said South Africa remained focused on making sure a peace deal was struck. 

READ | ‘SA, you can use your weight to stop Russia,’ says German minister ahead of state visit

Baerbock added South Africa’s peace mission to Russia and Ukraine was welcomed because everyone felt the impact of the war. 

She quoted historical leaders, including Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu saying these leaders had consistently called for peace. 

Baerbock said South Africa had a respected voice in the world. 

Pandor added even historically, Mandela understood negotiating with the enemy was difficult. 

Both Pandor and Baerbock stood firm on the stance taken by both countries on the conflict; German has called out Russia, while South Africa continues its peace stance.