Putin Arrest Warrant Prompts South Africa to Weigh Moving BRICS Summit

South Africa is considering switching the venue of an upcoming summit of BRICS leaders to another country, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that would resolve its dilemma over whether to execute an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The government is considering asking China to host the meeting of heads of state, or alternatively neighboring Mozambique, the people said, asking not to be identified because discussions about the matter are private and no decision has been taken yet. Department of International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor’s spokesman, Lunga Ngqengelele, said that as things stand, the summit will be held in Gauteng province, where the commercial hub of Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria, are situated.