Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula says its wrong to blame only Russia for Ukraine war

National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said Russia is not the only country to blame for the war in Ukraine.

Mapisa-Nqakula’s comments come after President Cyril Ramaphosa blamed Nato for the war in Ukraine during a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday.

Ramaphosa said, “The war could’ve been avoided if Nato had heeded the warnings from amongst its own leaders and officials over the years that its eastward expansion would lead to greater, not less instability in the region.”

Mapisa-Nqakula addressing the General Assembly of the 144th Plenary Session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) currently taking place in Bali, Indonesia sponsored by the New Zealand Parliament implored world leaders to desist from making inflammatory statements and demonstrate political maturity to calm waters where conflicts exist. 

The General Assembly on Monday considered and voted on two motions on the same matter from the parliaments of Indonesia and New Zealand, with the latter receiving requisite votes for a debate by the Assembly Tuesday morning.

The South African Parliament supported the motion of Indonesia as it, amongst others, advocated for global parliaments to support efforts in stopping the war and de-escalating the situation to ensure a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Mapisa-Nqakula said it is for this reason that South Africa supported the motion by Indonesia.

“In this regard, we believe it would be wrong to simply and selectively blame one country.  We urge both countries to fully commit to a peaceful process of negotiation. We therefore call for cessation of hostilities and de-escalation in order to enable the mediation process which is a catalyst for lasting peace.”

While Russia’s war on Ukraine has claimed hundreds of lives with millions fleeing the country, South Africa abstained from voting on the Russia-Ukraine conflict at the UN General Assembly saying the conflict involved two members of the UN in an armed conflict, and it is the UN’s responsibility to take decisions and actions that will lead to a “constructive outcome” conducive to the creation of sustainable peace between the parties.

Nearly 3.5 million Ukrainians have now fled the country following Russia’s invasion, the United Nations (UN) says, of 10 million who have been displaced from their homes.

ALSO READ: RUSSIA-UKRAINE LIVE UPDATES: Biden warns of cyberattacks and use of chemical weapons