Johannesburg: Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the upcoming BRICS nations summit in South Africa, according to the country's presidency, putting an end to months of speculation. This development has been a sensitive diplomatic matter for South Africa, as Putin is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. As an ICC member, South Africa would be expected to execute the warrant if Putin were to set foot in the country.

To avoid any potential complications, it has been decided "by mutual agreement" that President Putin will not attend the summit. Instead, the Russian Federation will be represented by Foreign Minister Mr. Sergei Lavrov. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been engaged in numerous consultations regarding this matter, with the most recent discussions taking place "last night," as per Vincent Magwenya, the spokesperson for President Ramaphosa.

As the current chair of the BRICS group, South Africa hosts the gathering of major economies that also includes Brazil, Russia, India, and China, seeking to establish itself as a counterbalance to Western economic influence.

Although Putin was formally invited to the BRICS summit scheduled to take place in Johannesburg from August 22 to 24, both domestic and international pressures have weighed heavily on South Africa not to host him due to the ICC warrant.

President Ramaphosa remains optimistic about the success of the summit and calls on the nation to extend warm hospitality to the numerous delegates arriving from different parts of the continent and the world.