Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend a BRICS nations summit in South Africa in August, the country’s presidency confirmed. Photo by Ramil Sitdikov / RIA NOVOSTI / AFP
Putin remarks on Ramaphosa’s handling of the BRICS Summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin had some interesting things to say about his South African counterpart during the BRICS Summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend a BRICS nations summit in South Africa in August, the country’s presidency confirmed. Photo by Ramil Sitdikov / RIA NOVOSTI / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin had nothing but praise for his South African counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa. Putin was particulatly impressed with Ramaphosa’s ability to facilitate the BRICS Summit, which saw the economic bloc welcome six new nations.
As Chairperson of the 15th BRICS Summit, Ramaphosa undoubtedly played a key role in some of the most important discussions which took place amongst the world leaders, including in trade and further economic progress.
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PUTIN: RAMAPHOSA SHOWED ‘POLITICAL MASTERY’
Vladimir Putin attended the proceedings virtually, but sent his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to represent him at the summit, which wrapped up at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Thursday, 24 August 2023.
“I would like to thank our SA friends for their efforts during our joint work. I would like to point that President Ramaphosa showed unique political mastery as we negotiated all the issues – even the BRICS expansion,” Putin said of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Putin could not be present for the BRICS Summit due to the fact that a warrant for his arrest has been issued by the International Criminal Court, of which South Africa is a co-signatory.
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It was Ramaphosa who announced that Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would be invited to join BRICS.
“BRICS itself is a diverse group of nations. It is an equal partnership of countries that have differing views, but have a shared vision for a better world. As the five BRICS countries, we have reached agreement on the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures of the BRICS expansion process, which has been in discussion for quite a while. We have consensus on the first phase of this expansion process and other phases will follow,” he said at the time.
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