Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
Former South African president, Jacob Zuma has weighed in on the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Zuma’s comment comes days after South Africa abstained from voting at a UN resolution to condemn Russia’s action in Ukraine.
In a statement by his namesake foundation, Zuma said, Putin’s actions were justified given his consistent stance against the eastern expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation into Ukraine.
TimesLive quoted the former president as saying, “Ukraine and Russia are separated only by a line on the map and not by the Baltic Sea — why is this complicated to understand? If forces, globally known to be hostile to the USA, were known to be establishing the presence of any sort in any of the adjacent territories, the USA would certainly act in a manner that it believes would neutralise such a perceived threat.”
“I am certain that his excellency Vladimir Putin will reciprocate and will bring in all his power to make peace a reality, as I know him to be a man of peace who has worked hard to ensure peace and stability across the globe,” he added.
