Russia: Putin will not attend 15th BRICS Summit

Pretoria, Jul 19 (Prensa Latina) Russia's President Vladimir Putin will not attend the 15th Summit of the BRICS countries, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22 to 24.

July 19, 2023
12:04

According to a press release issued by the South African Presidency, it is the result of a “mutual agreement” between Pretoria and Moscow.

The document stated that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent the Russian Federation. Leaders from Brazil, India, China, and South Africa are expected to attend the Summit.

In the press release, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed South Africa’s willingness to personally host the meeting, the first in this format since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent global restrictions.

The possible presence of the Russian president at the BRICS Summit has sparked a national debate in South Africa, as Pretoria, a signatory of the Rome Statute, must comply with the International Criminal Court (ICC) mandates.

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