Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia October 22, 2024. Alexander Nemenov/Pool via REUTERS

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 22 (Reuters) – South Africa sees Russia as a valued ally, President Cyril Ramaphosa said at a bilateral meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, on the eve of the BRICS summit of emerging economies that will take place in the Russian city of Kazan.

“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,” Ramaphosa said, according to a clip of the two leaders’ meeting shared on social media by South Africa’s government news agency.

“We are going to have important discussions here in Kazan within the BRICS family,” the South African president added.

(Reporting by Tannur Anders and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Alexander Winning)