The South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin is welcome in Pretoria despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him. “President Putin is welcome here. No one is going to stop Putin. If necessary, we will pick up Putin at the airport for his meetings. He will finish all his meetings, and we will bring him back to the airport,” party leader Julius Malema said Thursday, March 23, 2023. “We know our friends. We know the people who freed us. We know the people who supported us,” he added. According to Malema, the South African government should not give in to pressure from the ICC, which he accuses of “hypocrisy” President Vladimir Putin is due to travel to South Africa for the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit next August. South Africa maintains close diplomatic relations with Moscow despite Western condemnations. Last month, its navy held joint exercises with Russian forces off the coast of South Africa. He also abstained in votes at the UN condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Source: Agence Ivoirienne De Presse