Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa from 22 to 24 August 2023.
- Russia will be represented by its Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.
- South Africa faced a dilemma in hosting the summit due to an ICC arrest warrant issued for Putin in March for alleged war crimes.
- The ICC arrest warrant raised questions about whether South Africa would execute the warrant if Putin attended the summit.
- South Africa’s stance of neutrality on the war in Ukraine and its historic ties to the Kremlin added to the complexity of the situation.
- Leaders from Brazil, India, and South Africa will be present at the summit.
- BRICS is a bloc of emerging economic powers consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (joining in 2011).
Q.: Why will Russian President Vladimir Putin not attend the BRICS summit in South Africa in August?
A) He is facing charges of war crimes issued by the ICC.
B) He is occupied with foreign ministerial duties.
C) South Africa refused to grant him entry to the country.
D) He disagreed with the summit’s agenda.
Answer: A) He is facing charges of war crimes issued by the ICC.
