Moscow snubs Macron's bid to attend BRICS summit

French President Macron's desire to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) summit to be held in South Africa on August 22-24 has drawn a backlash from Moscow.

On the air of Radio 1, leading researcher of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergey Fedorov commented on the statement of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov that Moscow had informed South Africa about the inappropriateness of the French leader's presence at the event, Caliber.Az reports citing Gazeta.ru.

"We are witnessing the desire of the West and France, among others, to set African countries against Russia, to make Russia feel marginalized, trying to make us a pariah country," Fedorov said.

He suggested that the BRICS countries would support Russia's position and would not invite Macron to attend the summit.

Ryabkov earlier said that the presence of leaders of countries pursuing a hostile policy towards the Russian Federation was inappropriate at the BRICS summit due in August. He also noted that it was up to the host country to determine the list of invitees, but this should be preceded by consultations among all participants of the organisation.

For his part, Vladimir Olenchenko, a senior fellow at the Centre for European Studies at the IMEMO RAS, also told Regnum that the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron at the BRICS summit was inappropriate because, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the French leader's participation did not fit into the event in any of its parameters and was only destructive in nature.

Olenchenko recalled that Macron's desire to attend the summit caused surprise and bewilderment in the world.

"What meaning can this trip have? His participation in this summit will clearly be destructive. Macron will be an element that will complicate the meeting and may slow down the conclusion of any agreements possible within BRICS," Olenchenko said.

The expert noted that the French president represents the interests of the G7 countries, an organisation that has an opposing position to Russia, China, and other states on many international issues. Furthermore, Olenchenko recalled that France had once criticised South Africa, which could also influence the host country's decision. Olenchenko emphasized the format of the meeting of the BRICS leaders, which is not a protocol, but a business meeting with the discussion of specific issues on strengthening integration between the members of the organisation and working on prospects for their further development.

"As the Foreign Ministry rightly pointed out, Macron's participation is not appropriate by any of the parameters. If he is invited, he will have to rework the format and change the agenda. But then what is the point of the whole meeting? Why should the BRICS countries adapt to Macron's intentions?" said the expert.

According to Olenchenko, the BRICS countries would collectively deny Macron his request. As the expert noted, if France is genuinely interested in the BRICS organisation and is thinking about formal relations with it, it should apply in accordance with the accepted rules, with an initial request to the secretariat.

French President Emmanuel Macron asked South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa on 13 June to allow him to attend the BRICS summit in August. The South African president was surprised by the request, but the South African side has not yet responded on its willingness to allow world leaders to attend the summit.