There is pure calculation behind this: that is why Putin really canceled the summit in South Africa

Nevertheless, in mid-August Putin registered for the summit of the so-called BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in South Africa. Putin knew that South Africa – co-founder of the International Criminal Court – should have arrested him after landing on the tarmac. A nerve thriller that is unparalleled. Is Putin really in prison? The whole world wondered that.

Putin’s gift to South Africans

But now Putin has canceled his trip to South Africa. That happened “by mutual consent”, writes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (70). The biggest thriller of this summer: over, long before the probably disappointing ending anyway. However, the Russian president will not refrain from fully participating – he wants to watch the summit via video conference.

The observers are quick to judge: “anxious rabbit”, “coward”, it sounds everywhere. Justice is now being shown, Mykhailo Podoliak (51), adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (45), tweeted. Those who commit crimes must live in fear and terror forever.

But Putin’s refusal to attend is not an expression of fear. His decision to stay at home and send his foreign policy bloodhound Sergey Lavrov (73) south is a clever calculation.

With his absence, the Kremlin boss is giving the South Africans a huge gift. The pressure on Pretoria to arrest Putin was enormous. At the same time, the South Africans feared Russian anger if they actually did their legal duty. Thanks to Putin’s absence, Cyril Ramaphosa can now cross everything off his long list of problems to solve.

Sanctions against Russia? Africa and Latin America are not participating

So South Africa does not yet have to take a position on Putin’s attack on Ukraine. The country can continue to look the other way with indifference. And it is not alone in this. No Latin American or African country has imposed sanctions on Russia. Trade with the Putin empire is booming and Russian tourists are everywhere. No sign of a crisis.

From a European perspective, it is easy to forget that our continent (along with the US, Canada and some Asian countries) stands alone in condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Most of the world shrugs. Russia benefits from this indifference. The economic collapse that the West wants to achieve with its sanctions policy is still a long way off.

Putin thanks the global South for this – in the case of South Africa with his absence. South Africa will also thank him: with continued indifference. That can only benefit Putin’s reign of terror.