MBABANE: Russian President Vladimir Putin won’t attend the BRICS Summit to be held in August after the International Criminal Court(ICC) issued a warrant of arrest against him, the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday.
BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa,it’s the powerful grouping or organization of the world's leading emerging economies.
“The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Putin's arrest in March for alleged war crimes perpetrated during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.By law, South Africa, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, would be obliged to arrest him if he came into the country.In court papers President Cyril Ramaphosa filed, he said he feared "the declaration of war" if Putin were to be arrested,”’News24 reported on Wednesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa with Russian President Vladimir Putin(pic: Presidency Twitter).