The Insider posted on 14 July 2023 an article titled "'We Would Be Happy If He Doesn 't Come': South African Authorities' Request Not to Send Putin to BRICS Summit Rejected by Moscow."
The Russian government has declined the request by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to have Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov instead of President Vladimir Putin represent Moscow at the upcoming BRICS' summit in South Africa. Pretoria is trying to avoid an embarrassing situation as a signatory to the Rome Statute whereby it is required to arrest Putin if he visits the country. Putin faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court.
