South Africa’s two biggest parties in its Government of National Unity is in disagreement over whether Russia should be considered an ally.

In a briefing held at the Kremlin before the XVI Brics Summit in Kazan, Russia, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told Putin that Russia will remain South Africa’s ally: “We are rather pleased that with your support, in every respect, we have been able to reach this point in the history of our country. We continue to see Russia as a valued ally, as a valued friend who supported us right from the beginning, from the days of our struggle against apartheid, right through to now.”

The leader of the Democratic Alliance, the ANC’s biggest partner in government, John Steenhuisen said in a statement: “We cannot and will not agree that South Africa should consider an authoritarian regime, that is currently violating international law by waging an imperialist war of aggression against a sovereign state, as an ally.”

Prior to the formation of the GNU, the DA, and the ANC had fundamental differences on several matters related to South Africa’s foreign policy.