Putin won’t travel to SA for BRICS summit
The Presidency has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin won't travel to South Africa for the BRICS summit in August.
The Presidency confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday.
It said the decision was by mutual agreement.
The Presidency says Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent the country at the summit.
READ: BRICS summit to be 'physical' despite Putin warrant
With this arrangement, South Africa has averted a situation where it would have been obliged to detain the Russian president had he set foot in the country.
The International Criminal Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
In court papers filed in response to a DA court application seeking a declaratory order on Puti's detention, President Cyril Ramaphosa said arresting Putin would be a declaration of war with Russia.
