Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen said his party distances itself from recent comments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa during engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where Ramaphosa described Russia as “a valuable ally and friend”.

Ramaphosa held bilateral talks with Putin on Tuesday, where he led South Africa’s participation in the XVI Brics Summit.

On the sidelines of the Brics summit, Ramaphosa said South Africa continues to see Russia as a valued ally and friend, who supported the country since the days of apartheid.

The summit is being held between October 22 and 24, where leaders of Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates are meeting for the first time since new members were invited to join Brics during the last Summit.

“The Democratic Alliance, as a key partner in the Government of National Unity (GNU), rejects this characterisation in no uncertain terms. The Democratic Alliance does not consider Russia, or Vladimir Putin, to be an ally of our nation,” said Steenhuisen.

He said the DA saw Russia as an authoritarian regime, that was “currently violating” international law by waging an “imperialist war of aggression” against a sovereign State.

Steenhuisen said that at a time when South Africa was experiencing “renewed optimism” owing to the GNU, government cannot make statements that could jeopardise international relations and trade opportunities.

“As leader of the Democratic Alliance in the GNU, I reiterate the importance of positions expressed on behalf of the GNU being subject to full and proper debate within the government mechanisms before being announced as positions of the GNU to ensure maximum consensus and agreement amongst the parties to the GNU,” he said.