Fact Check: Putin previously skipped South Africa summit over ICC concerns.

Fact Check: "Putin previously skipped South Africa summit over ICC concerns."

What We Know

On July 18, 2023, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not attend the upcoming BRICS summit scheduled for August 22-24, 2023, in Johannesburg. This decision was attributed to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Putin for war crimes related to the conflict in Ukraine, specifically the abduction of children from occupied territories (AP News). South Africa, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, is obligated to arrest individuals with active ICC warrants if they enter its territory. The South African government had been in discussions with Russia regarding this situation, and it was reported that both parties reached a "mutual agreement" for Putin to participate via video link instead (AP News).

Analysis

The claim that Putin skipped the South Africa summit due to concerns over the ICC warrant is substantiated by multiple credible sources. The Associated Press reported that South Africa's decision to allow Putin to attend was complicated by the legal obligations stemming from the ICC warrant, which could have led to significant diplomatic repercussions for South Africa (AP News). Furthermore, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin would participate remotely, indicating that the decision was influenced by the legal implications of attending in person (AP News).

The reliability of the sources is strong, as they include reputable news organizations such as the Associated Press and Reuters, which adhere to journalistic standards of accuracy and fact-checking. The context provided by these sources highlights the diplomatic tensions surrounding Putin's potential visit and the legal obligations of South Africa under international law. Additionally, the implications of this situation were underscored by Ramaphosa's comments regarding the potential for declaring war if Putin were arrested, further solidifying the rationale behind Putin's absence (AP News).

Conclusion

The claim that "Putin previously skipped South Africa summit over ICC concerns" is True. The evidence clearly indicates that Putin's decision to not attend the summit was directly related to the ICC arrest warrant, which posed significant legal and diplomatic challenges for South Africa. The mutual agreement for him to participate via video link further confirms that his absence was not merely a personal choice but a necessary response to the legal circumstances surrounding his potential visit.