South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and outlined his country’s position on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Ramaphosa thanked Putin for the call, which he said was made so he could gain an understanding of the situation unfolding between Russia and Ukraine.

“I outlined our position on the conflict that has unfolded as well as our belief that the conflict should be resolved through mediation and negotiation between the parties and — if need be — with the help of agencies that can help bring a solution to the conflict,” Ramaphosa said in a series of tweets.

South Africa is a member of BRICS, a body made up of five major emerging economies that include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.