A Double-edged Sword on Neutrality: Analyzing South Africa’s Stance in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Russia-Ukraine war is one with ongoing incidences that have daunting consequences on a global scale. From political and economic ties bound to the history and outcome of the war, countless countries are faced in its backdrop, with severe economic and political repercussions to think of when making decisions. With many Western powers having condemned Russia and imposed sanctions on the country, South Africa is one of the few countries with different views towards the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Under a veneer of a neutrality stance, South Africa is a particularly special country to analyze within its views on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as the country is anything but neutral because of its reliance on and friendship with Russia. <br><br>A comparative examination of South Africa’s relationship with Ukraine and Russia to provide a more coherent context as to where South Africa’s inconclusive stance and behavior in the Russia-Ukraine conflict stems from, as well as an explorative analysis through South Africa’s actions in the wake and amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its impact on the state, this paper seeks to argue the bias that underlies the neutrality stance of South Africa. Despite claims that South Africa is neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the actions that it has taken would suggest otherwise; in retrospect, South Africa implicitly supports Russia despite its neutral stance. As a result, new systematic disputes emerge and a political divide within South Africa and through an international lens towards the country’s position in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.