Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has stated that he intends to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next year.
He even emphasized that Putin would not be arrested in Brazil if he attends the meeting. Lula himself also plans to attend the meeting of the BRICS group of emerging countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) next year.
“I am confident that Putin can easily go to Brazil,” said Lula on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in India, as quoted by Al Jazeera on Sunday, September 10, 2023.
“What I can tell you is that I am the president of Brazil, and if he (Putin) comes to Brazil, it is highly unlikely that he will be arrested,” he added.
Previously, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March, accusing him of war crimes for illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine, although Russia denied these allegations.
Additionally, Brazil is a signatory to the Rome Statute, which laid the foundation for the establishment of the ICC.
Putin has also missed several international meetings, including the G20 Summit in India, and had to be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
During last Saturday’s G20 Summit in India, member countries also reached a consensus not to condemn Russia for the war in Ukraine. However, all countries called for a peaceful resolution in the region.
