Putin Decides Not to Attend BRICS Summit in South Africa Due to Arrest Threat
The South African presidency announced on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the upcoming BRICS nations summit in South Africa next month. This decision puts an end to months of speculation that he could face potential detention during his visit, making it a sensitive diplomatic matter for Pretoria.
The Russian leader has an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him. As an ICC member, South Africa would be obliged to execute the warrant if he were to visit the country.
Vincent Magwenya, a spokesman for President Cyril Ramaphosa, stated that President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not be present at the summit, as per a mutual agreement. In his place, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent Russia, a decision made after "a number of consultations" conducted by Ramaphosa in recent months, including the most recent one held last night.
South Africa, currently chairing the BRICS group, a coalition of influential nations such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China, perceives itself as a counterbalance to Western economic influence and domination.
Putin received a formal invitation to attend a BRICS summit scheduled for August 22 to 24 in Johannesburg. However, Pretoria faced significant domestic and international pressure opposing his presence at the event.
Despite this, all the other leaders from the participating countries will be present at the summit, as confirmed by Magwenya. President Ramaphosa expressed confidence in the summit's success and called on the nation to warmly welcome the numerous delegates arriving from different parts of the continent and the world.
The ICC is seeking Putin in connection with allegations of Russia's unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.
In court documents made public on Tuesday, Ramaphosa stated that apprehending Putin would be seen as a declaration of war against Russia. This assessment was provided in an affidavit submitted in response to an application by the Democratic Alliance (DA), the country's main opposition party. The DA sought to compel the government to take action and extradite the Russian leader to the ICC if he were to visit the country.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was questioned about whether the term "war wording" was utilized in discussions between the two countries.
He responded, "No, it didn't come across that way."
"It is abundantly clear to everyone in this world what the consequences would entail if an attempt were made to apprehend the head of the Russian state. Therefore, there is no need to elaborate on this matter," stated Peskov.
The affidavit disclosed that South Africa was seeking an exception under ICC regulations, arguing that executing the arrest could have posed a threat to the "security, peace, and order of the state."
While Pretoria has expressed its desire to maintain neutrality concerning the war in Ukraine, critics have accused it of leaning towards Moscow.
There were concerns that hosting Putin might be interpreted as a sign of support for Russia, potentially endangering South Africa's strong economic and trade relationships with the United States and Europe.
Although trade with Russia is relatively smaller, the ties between the two nations have deep roots dating back decades, when the Kremlin supported the ruling African National Congress party during the fight against apartheid.
In recent interviews with local media, South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile revealed that the government had been engaged in efforts to convince Putin not to visit the country.
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