democratic

Mthethwa was a high-ranking member of the African National Congress, the party that brought in democratic rule in 1994 with Nelson Mandela as South Africa's first black president.

Since he returned to office in January, his attempts to pull the U.S. away from its democratic allies and into the orbit of authoritarian countries has accelerated.

In his view, the defining fight of the era was not between Western civilisation and forces that would destroy it, but between democratic and authoritarian nations.

Earlier this week, the bipartisan Hellenic Caucus in the US Congress warned against allowing Turkey to buy F-35s, citing its military co-operation with Russia and a "disregard for international norms and democratic principles".

"We want a democratic, modern state committed to international law, rule of law, pluralism, peaceful transfer of power, and the empowerment of women and youth."