The BRICS Summit has began in Johannesburg with a notable absence of the R in BRICS as President Putin joining in virtually. Gianluigi Guercia/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
BRICS Summit: Putin’s absence marks missing ‘R’ in BRICS?
In July, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa verified that Putin won’t be present at the BRICS summit due to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
Putin, who faces an international arrest warrant for alleged Ukraine war crimes, will join the summit virtually.
The BRICS Summit has began in Johannesburg with a notable absence of the R in BRICS as President Putin joining in virtually. Gianluigi Guercia/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
The BRICS summit began in South Africa with the notable absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders convened.
IOL reports that Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov is representing Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 15th BRICS summit.
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WHY IS RUSSIAN LEADER PUTIN MISSING THE BRICS SUMMIT?
The BRICS alliance, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, gathers for its first in-person summit since the pandemic. However, Putin’s presence is virtual due to an International Criminal Court warrant issued for his alleged involvement in abducting children from Ukraine.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Putin in March, accusing him of deporting Ukrainian children.
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RUSSIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER SERGEY LAVR GOES IN PLACE OF PUTIN
Lavrov visited South Africa in June, participating in the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ gathering held in Cape Town.
This meeting also welcomed prospective BRICS members, including Egypt, Uruguay, UAE, and Bangladesh, into the BRICS Bank.
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Current reports indicate that approximately 1,200 representatives from the BRICS countries and various other developing nations are gathered in Johannesburg. This includes over 40 Heads of State, and the presence of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is anticipated.
WHICH COUNTRIES ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING?
A total of 40 nations have shown interest, with 23 formally applying for BRICS. These include Argentina, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Thailand, Cuba, Egypt, and Nigeria.
WHAT IS THE THEME?
The 2023 theme centers on addressing climate change, improving education, utilizing the African Continental Free Trade Area, post-pandemic recovery, and enhancing global cooperation.
