Putin to attend BRICS summit in person – South African President Ramaphosa

Russian leader Vladimir Putin will come to the BRICS summit in South Africa. The country's authorities assure that the summit will take place offline.

Eyewitness News reports this.

Amid speculation over whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) summit in South Africa in August, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that the event will be held in person with the attendance of participants.

Ramaphosa announced at the BRICS Business Council meeting in Sandton on Thursday evening.

After the arrest warrant for Putin issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), there were speculations that the event could occur virtually.

But Ramaphosa said that would not happen.

"There were rumors that this could also become an online summit – no. It will be face-to-face," said the South African president.

On the same day, the head of the BRICS Business Council, Stavros Nicolaou, assured all leaders would participate in person. We are talking about the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

"Expect several heads of state. But it is important that five BRICS heads of state will visit the forum," Nicolaou emphasized.

For reference:

The BRICS summit (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China, and South Africa) is scheduled for August 22-24, and the Times reported that South Africa is offering Putin to join the BRICS summit online so that he does not have to be taken into custody on an ICC warrant.

As a signatory of the International Criminal Court (ICC), South Africa is obliged to arrest Putin if he participates in the talks between the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, and China due to the arrest warrant for the deportation of children from Ukraine.

On March 17, the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child under the President of the Russian Federation. The President of the Russian Federation and his representative are suspected of war crimes – deportation and illegal transfer of the population, including children, from the occupied territory of Ukraine.