French President Macron Stresses Need for Consensus in G20
French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the importance of consensus among G20 members, including Russia, before extending an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the group’s summit in Brazil.
Macron’s Press Conference in Brasília
Speaking at a press conference in Brasília alongside Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Macron emphasized, “The meaning of this club is that there must be consensus with the 19 others.”
Macron delegated the responsibility of coordinating a joint decision on Putin’s participation to Brazilian diplomacy, given Brazil’s current leadership of the G20 group.
He stressed that if a meeting with Putin is deemed “useful,” it should proceed, warning that lack of consensus could jeopardize any potential invitation to the Russian President.
Background on Putin’s Potential Participation
Macron’s statements follow previous remarks by Brazilian President Lula, who stated in September 2023 that Putin would not face arrest if he attended the Rio de Janeiro meeting of the bloc.
Putin faces an active International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes, including unlawful deportation and transfer of children during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
The arrest warrant against Putin and Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova was issued in March of the previous year.
All 124 member states of the ICC are obligated to detain and transfer Putin and Lvova-Belova if they enter their territories, with Brazil being a signatory to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC.
To avoid potential controversy and legal complications, Putin opted to skip last year’s G20 summit in New Delhi.
Clarification by Lula
Following the initial statement, Lula clarified that any decision regarding Putin’s arrest would be in the hands of the justice system, not the government.
“If Putin chooses to visit Brazil, it will be up to the courts to determine whether he will be arrested or not, not me,” Lula stated.
