Russia turned down a request by South Africa not to send President Vladimir Putin to next months BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africas deputy presidenttold local media Friday.Earlier, Russian officialstold The Moscow Times that Putins attendance remained uncertain in the face of an International Criminal Court (ICC) indictment over the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children and the fallout from the Wagner mercenary groups mutiny.South Africa is required to arrest Putin if he travels there as a signatory of the Rome Statute that governs the ICC.We understand we are bound by the Rome Statute but we cant invite someone and then you arrest them.
You can understand our dilemma, South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile told Mail - Guardian.We would be happy if he [Putin] doesnt come, he said.South Africas rejected proposal was for Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to lead Russias delegation at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg on Aug.
22-24 instead of Putin.South African PresidentCyril Ramaphosa has vowed to hold an in-person summit despite the ICC warrant against Putin.Mashatile said that Brazil, India, China and South Africa opposed holding the BRICS summit virtually, while India and Brazil rejected moving the 2023 summit to China.A Kremlin-linked official told The Moscow Times that South Africa provided security guarantees for Putin during Ramaphosas visit to St.
Petersburg in June.Moscowsaid Friday the format of the upcoming BRICS summit was still being worked out.South Africa has not condemned Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, saying it remains impartial and prefers dialogue as it spearheads an African initiative to resolve the conflict.