South Africa’s presidency has confirmed that the president of Russia, i.e., Vladimir Putin won’t be present at a summit in South Africa next month. The announcement comes after South Africa’s leader said any attempt to arrest Vladimir Putin would be a declaration of war against Russia. A warrant for Putin’s arrest had been issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) if he had left Russian territory. South Africa, a signatory to the ICC, is anticipated to assist in the arrest of Mr Putin.
Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, will represent the nation at the two-day summit in its place. However, Mr Putin will participate in the BRICS summit via video link, according to Russian media. The Brics acronym stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The South African president described the decision for Putin not to attend as “mutual”
Some people view the Brics grouping as an alternative to the G7 club of developed economies. The South African president described the decision for Putin not to attend as “mutual” in a statement, adding that it had been reached after “several consultations” on the summit. Russian supporters have condemned the choice, claiming that South Africa ought to have insisted on and utilized its sovereignty to safeguard and defend its ally.
The invitation that South Africa extended to Putin before the International Criminal Court charged him with war crimes in Ukraine has generated debate both domestically and internationally. It was perceived as an attempt by the administration to depart from the middle ground it had intended to pursue in the struggle between Russia and Ukraine.
However, when pressure to detain President Putin grew, the administration of President Cyril Ramaphosa went into a frenzy. The Democratic Alliance, the largest opposition group, filed a lawsuit to compel the government to detain Vladimir Putin should he enter the nation. Amnesty International, a global organization for human rights, took part in the challenge as well. According to court records, Mr Ramaphosa vehemently opposed any such action, arguing that national security was at risk.
Russia has made it clear that arresting its sitting president would be a declaration of war
“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,” he said in an affidavit. Peskov denied Moscow had told South Africa that arresting its president would mean an act of war, but said it was “clear to everyone what [that kind of] infringement against the head of the Russian state would mean”.
Because it is not a member of the ICC, Russia has continually referred to the arrest warrant as outrageous and illegitimate. With some nations refusing to support UN resolutions denouncing Russia for its activities in Ukraine, the African continent is still divided on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The causes of this differ from nation to nation, but according to analysts, one explanation is the economic connections several have with Moscow, notably South Africa. Viktor Vekselberg, a sanctioned Russian oligarch, is rumored to be one of the largest funders to South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC).