By S’thembile Cele July 19, 2023 at 6:57 AM EDT
Russian President Vladimir Putin won’t attend next month’s summit of BRICS leaders and will instead be represented by his foreign minister, South Africa’s presidency said. The rand pared its earlier losses. Putin’s decision means the South African authorities will avoid having to execute an International Criminal Court warrant for the Russian leader’s arrest.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend the summit in Putin’s stead, the presidency said in a statement on Wednesday. The decision for Putin not to attend was by mutual consent, it said.
Putin looks like he has no power left at all. Just a couple days ago he told the South African president that he plans to attend, and arresting him would be seen as a declaration of war.
Now he pulls back. Another L for Putin on the international stage. He can’t even attend a summit of aligned nations anymore.