Putin set to skip BRICS summit in Johannesburg: South African president

South Africa, a signatory of the Rome Statute establishing International Criminal Court, has been under pressure to arrest Putin, whom the ICC indicted in March

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend a summit of BRICS countries in Johannesburg set for next month, South Africa’s president confirmed in a statement Wednesday.

“By mutual agreement, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not attend the Summit but the Russian Federation will be represented by (its) Foreign Minister, Mr Sergey Lavrov,” said a statement from the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

This March the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin, who was expected to attend the BRICS meeting on Aug. 22-23. South Africa is a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the court.

BRICS is a bloc of emerging economies, with its name coming from the first letters of the countries Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The leaders of all the countries but Russia will all be in attendance.

South Africa has been under pressure by the opposition to arrest Putin should he set foot in the country.

On Tuesday, Ramaphosa told a court that arresting Putin if he visits the country for the summit would amount to a declaration of war with Russia.

Kaynak: