Leaders of States Unfriendly to Russia Not Appropriate Guests at BRICS Summit: Moscow

Last week, French newspaper L’Opinion reported, citing sources in the Elysee Palace, that French President Emmanuel Macron had asked South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for an invitation to the upcoming BRICS summit.

Leaders of countries that pursue hostile policy towards Russia should not be present at the BRICS summit in August, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday.

A source was cited as saying that South Africa did not say whether it was prepared to allow other international leaders beyond member states to attend the event.

"It is up to the host party to determine the circle of invitees, this is an established practice. But it is no less important that this should be preceded by consultations of all BRICS participants. It is clear that the leaders of a state, who are pursuing such a hostile and unacceptable for us policy ... such a leader is inappropriate as a guest to BRICS," Ryabkov told reporters.

Moscow has conveyed its position on the matter to the leadership of South Africa and expects that it will be taken into account, the diplomat added.

Earlier, French newspaper L’Opinion reported, citing sources in the Elysee Palace, that Macron had asked South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for an invitation to the upcoming BRICS summit. A source was cited as saying that South Africa did not say whether it was prepared to allow other international leaders beyond member states to attend the event.

Soon after the report appeared, the French foreign minister acknowledged that the country's president would indeed like to be invited to the August meeting in Johannesburg.