Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in South African on support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion.

The Foreign Secretary has spoken with his South African counterpart three times since being appointed in September 2022, most recently during the State Visit on 22-23 November. On each occasion they discussed a range of issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I [Minister Mitchell] welcome President Ramaphosa's calls for urgent diplomacy to bring an end to the conflict. But an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and ceasefire are required to create the conditions for dialogue.