Jamal Al-Farouq In a couple of months, the BRICS leaders’ summit is scheduled to take place, and it has been reported that French President Emmanuel Macron is interested in attending. However, Russia has expressed its belief that it would be inappropriate for the French president to be present. A top Russian official stated that leaders of states with such a hostile and unacceptable policy towards Russia are not suitable guests for the BRICS summit.
Russia Rejects Macron’s Participation in BRICS Summit
On Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov was asked by reporters about the potential involvement of French President Emmanuel Macron in the upcoming BRICS leaders’ summit. The summit is being hosted by South Africa, the current BRICS presidency, and will be held in Johannesburg from August 22 to 24. The BRICS nations consist of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The Russian official informed reporters that Russia has conveyed to its South African partners that the presence of the French president at the upcoming BRICS summit would be inappropriate. According to the Tass publication, he stated, “We have sent a signal that, while respecting the host’s prerogatives [South Africa] to invite individual guests, it is necessary to consider that BRICS is an alliance of countries that firmly opposes the use of unilateral sanctions for resolving foreign policy issues. Therefore, the presence of Western officials would clearly be inappropriate.”
Ryabkov also stated, as quoted by the RIA news agency:
“A leader who advocates for such a hostile and unacceptable policy towards us, discussing with emphasis and conviction that Russia should be isolated on the international stage, and aligns with NATO’s stance on inflicting a so-called strategic defeat on us — such a leader is an unsuitable guest for BRICS.”
“We are not concealing our approach; we have conveyed it to our colleagues from South Africa. We expect that our viewpoint will be fully acknowledged,” the official added.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently stated that Russia is unaware of the capacity or reasons for Macron’s potential attendance at the BRICS leaders’ summit. Tass reported Peskov as saying, “Frankly speaking, we don’t have information about his capacity or the reasons. We don’t possess such information.”
French Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna mentioned on Tuesday, following talks with her South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, in Johannesburg, that Macron would contemplate participating in the BRICS summit if formally invited. She noted that the decision to invite the French president “must be made not by France, but by the BRICS, and primarily by South Africa, which is hosting the summit.”
What are your thoughts on whether French President Emmanuel Macron should attend the BRICS leaders’ summit? Share your opinion in the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about BRICS summit
Should French President Emmanuel Macron attend the BRICS leaders’ summit?
The decision of whether French President Emmanuel Macron should attend the BRICS leaders’ summit is a matter for the BRICS and primarily South Africa, the host of the summit, to decide. However, Russia has expressed opposition to Macron’s attendance, citing a perceived “hostile and unacceptable” policy towards Moscow. Tensions and differing viewpoints among participating nations may arise due to this objection. Ultimately, the invitation and attendance of Macron will depend on the consensus reached by the BRICS countries.
More about BRICS summit
- BRICS Official Website
- Tass News Agency
- RIA Novosti
- Kremlin Official Website
- French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
5 comments
I wonder if Macron will still go despite Russia’s objection. It’s a tough situation for the BRICS summit, with differing viewpoints and tensions. Let’s see how it unfolds!
This is like a high-stakes game of politics! Russia is not holding back in expressing their disapproval of Macron attending. I’m curious to know how South Africa and the other BRICS nations will respond.
oh man, russia really doesNt want macron to go to the brics summit! thEy say his policy towards them is hosTile n unacceptable. thiS could cAuse some major problms between them!
It’s crucial for international alliances like BRICS to navigate these disagreements and maintain cooperation. The decision on Macron’s attendance should be made carefully, considering the potential impact on diplomatic relations.
It’s interesting to see how diplomatic relations can be strained by political differences. I hope the BRICS leaders can find a way to address these issues and maintain a peaceful summit.