Leaders of States Unfriendly to Russia Not Appropriate Guests at BRICS Summit - Russian Deputy FM

SOCHI (Sputnik) - Last week, a French newspaper 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.

"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 it was reported that Macron had asked South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for an invitation to the upcoming BRICS summit. According to a source familiar with the matter, South Africa did not say whether it was prepared to allow other international leaders to attend the event.

BRICS unites the world's largest developing economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. A number of other countries intend to join the economic bloc, including Argentina, Iran, Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. South Africa, which assumed the rotating BRICS presidency in January, will host the 15th BRICS summit in August.