2023-07-19 11:37:30
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with officials devoted to an attack on the Crimean bridge in Moscow, Russia July 17, 2023. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Kremlin via REUTERS
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the BRICS summit in South Africa in August “by mutual agreement,” the South African presidency said on Wednesday.
In his place, Russia will be represented by its Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, the presidency said in a statement.
“By mutual agreement, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not attend the summit, but the Russian Federation will be represented by Foreign Minister Mr. (Sergei) Lavrov,” Vincent Magwenya, a spokesman for the Russian Federation, said in a statement. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
South Africa faced a dilemma in hosting the summit because, as a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), it would theoretically have to arrest Putin on alleged war crimes if he attended.
The ICC has issued an arrest warrant against Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 17, 2023. Ramil Sitdikov/RIA Novosti Photo Agency via REUTERS/File
The leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa will attend the summit, according to the Presidency.
Ramaphosa had said on Tuesday that stopping Putin at the BRICS summit would be a declaration of war on Russia.
As a member of the ICC, South Africa should theoretically arrest Putin if he were to enter its territory. A great diplomatic dilemma for the government, which refuses to condemn Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.
The case took a judicial turn as the main South African opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is trying through the courts to force the government to ensure that Putin is arrested and handed over to the ICC if he steps foot in South Africa.
In an affidavit, Ramaphosa called that party’s request “irresponsible.”
“Russia clearly indicated that any detention of its sitting president would amount to a declaration of war. It would not be consistent with our constitution to risk embroiling the country in a war with Russia,” he wrote.
Keep reading:
Putin wants to go to the BRICS summit but South Africa is trying to convince him not to travel so as not to have to arrest himSouth Africa warned that detaining Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit would be a “declaration of war” against RussiaThe ICC prosecutor is confident that South Africa “will do the right thing” and cooperate if Putin travels to the country for the BRICS summit
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