Putin overshadows BRICS talks as South Africa mulls arrest warrant options

A meeting of Foreign Ministers from the BRICS countries in South Africa on June 1 was overshadowed by questions about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would be arrested if he attended a summit of the five-nation bloc in August

A meeting of Foreign Ministers from the BRICS countries in South Africa on June 1 was overshadowed by questions about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would be arrested if he attended a summit of the five-nation bloc in August.

South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said it was mulling legal options if Mr. Putin, the subject of a war crimes arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), did attend the planned Johannesburg summit.

As a member of the ICC, South Africa would theoretically be required to arrest Mr. Putin if he attended, and Ms. Pandor was bombarded with questions about the issue as she arrived for a first round of talks with representatives from Russia, China, India, and Brazil.

"Our government is currently looking at what the legal options are with respect to this matter," she told reporters.

"The answer is the President (Cyril Ramaphosa) will indicate what the final position of South Africa is. As matters stand an invitation has been issued to all (BRICS) heads of state," Ms. Pandor said.

Mr. Putin has not confirmed his plans, with the Kremlin only saying Russia would take part at the "proper level".

The ICC accused Mr. Putin in March of the war crime of forcibly deporting children from Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. Moscow denies the allegations. South Africa had invited Mr. Putin in January.