An advance team from Russia will be headed to South Africa to prepare for President Vladimir Putin's attendance at the BRICS summit
This comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest for Putin for his alleged involvement in the abductions of children from Ukraine
SA citizens online weighed in on what Putin's attendance at the summit will mean for the country
President Vladimir Putin with President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) during the welcoming ceremony at the Russia-Africa Summit in Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia. Image: Mikhail Svetlov Source: Getty Images
MOSCOW- The Russian government will send a special team to South Africa to ready things for President Vladimir Putin's arrival for the BRICS summit in August.
South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa says Putin will attend BRICS summit
Professor Anil Sooklal, South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa, confirmed that Putin accepted the invitation from President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend the 15th summit with other heads of state from Brazil, China and India.
Sooklal told TimesLIVE that he was at the Russian sherpa in Moscow last week and confirmed that an advance team was being sent which proves that Putin will be attending.
ICC charges President Vladimir Putin with war crimes
This comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC), of which South Africa is a member, issued an arrest warrant against Putin for the alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
The ICC called on the 123 countries who are signatories to the Rome Statute to arrest Putin, which obliges SA to carry out the warrant, reported IOL.
International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor said SA has chosen to take a neutral stance in the Russia and Ukraine war.
Citizens discuss Putin's pending trip to SA
Phoka Mofokeng said:
"We welcome your Russia and Vladimir Putin.✊"
Simbongile James posted:
"The ICC needs to be completely restructured for it to consider itself a neutral international body."
MJ Hozanimadoda Qhali wrote:
"Russian are part of this Brics so ICC must understand that and stop insist Mzansi to arrest Vladimir Putin as he has done nothing wrong to our peaceful country."
Roy van der Westhuizen added
"All fluff about nothing. If he arrives so what, if he do not, so what. It adds no value either way. Why even give him airtime."
Jabes Maganizo stated:
"Be careful his enemies will destroy the country."
Jomo Molobela stated:
Welcome Comrade.
Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize winner urges SA not to let Vladimir Putin in country for August’s Brics Summit
In a related article, Briefly News reported that Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize winner Oleksandra Romantsova has urged South Africa not to let Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the Brics summit.
Romantsova, who won Ukraine's first Peace Prize in 2022, is in the country garnering support for Ukraine as Russia's invasion rages on.
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