Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has decided not to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in South Africa, according to an announcement made by the country’s presidency.
The decision came in response to South African leader President Cyril Ramaphosa’s earlier statement that any attempt to arrest Putin would be considered a “declaration of war” against Russia.
The two-day summit, which is part of the Brics conference, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has now seen Putin’s absence confirmed. Instead, Russia will be represented by its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, while Putin himself will participate through video link, as confirmed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
The decision for Putin to forego attending the summit was described as “mutual” in a statement issued by South Africa’s presidency. It followed a series of consultations between the two nations regarding the ICC’s arrest warrant against the Russian President on charges of war crimes in Ukraine.
Supporters of Russia have expressed criticism towards South Africa’s stance, arguing that the country should have used its sovereignty to protect and defend its friend. The invitation extended to Putin by South Africa before the ICC accused him of war crimes had already sparked controversy on both the national and international stages.
The Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s biggest opposition party, even went to court in a bid to force authorities to arrest Putin if he were to set foot in the country. Amnesty International, a global human rights group, also supported this legal challenge.
Court documents revealed that President Ramaphosa opposed such a move, citing concerns about national security and the potential implications of arresting a sitting president of another nation. “Russia has made it clear that arresting its sitting president would be a declaration of war. It would be inconsistent with our constitution to risk engaging in war with Russia,” stated President Ramaphosa in an affidavit.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied that Moscow had directly threatened South Africa with the prospect of war, but he emphasized the gravity of arresting a head of state. “It is clear to everyone what [that kind of] infringement against the head of the Russian state would mean,” he asserted.
Russia has consistently denounced the ICC’s arrest warrant, asserting that it holds no legal weight since the country is not a member of the organization. This stance has divided opinions across the African continent, with some countries hesitant to support United Nations resolutions condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine due to their economic ties with Moscow.
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Experts have highlighted economic relations, such as those between South Africa and sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, as one of the factors contributing to the divergence of stances among African nations.
The Brics summit, an alternative to the G7 group of advanced economies, will now proceed without President Putin’s physical presence. South Africa’s presidency remains optimistic that the event will foster dialogue and cooperation between the participating nations.
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