Vladimir Putin hasn't left Russia this year. He has a 'huge headache' looming next month
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Vladimir Putin hasn't left Russia this year or confronted Western leaders in person since he invaded Ukraine 18 months ago - but both of these may be about to change. Has not personally attended the G20 world leaders meeting since 2019 Has not personally attended the G20 meeting of world leaders since 2019 Russian President withdrew from last year's summit in Bali a week before it was due He is expected to attend G20 summit in India next month, but the Kremlin has yet to specify whether he will actually attend trip. The Russian President has not traveled abroad since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine in March. How hard that makes traveling became clear this week. Mr Putin's indictment has ignited a political storm in South Africa that would have had to arrest the 70-year-old if he had physically attended a series of meetings that began Tuesday. Instead, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa chose to be present online as he hosted the leaders of India, China and Brazil at the annual BRICS summit. In his speech, Mr. Putin said that Russia will continue to be a "responsible food supplier" to African countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, were smiling as the summit kicked off on Tuesday. The G20 conference, to be held on September 9 and 10, looks set to be the first face-to-face confrontation between Putin and Western leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Mr Putin has not physically attended the annual conference since 2019. While skipping last two summits in Bali and Rome, the 2020 summit was held virtually due to COVID-19 outbreak. Because the ICC does not have a police force, it relies on countries that have signed the Statute of Rome to arrest those it wishes to accuse. The possible arrival of Mr. Putin in Johannesburg was controversial. Mr Ramaphosa said arresting him could lead a war with Russia, while the main opposition party took the government to court ensure it complied with its ICC obligations. Attending meetings 'big headache' Rebecca Hamilton, a professor at American University's Washington School of Law, worked as prosecutor of ICC from 2007 to 2009, when Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was first president to be charged with crimes against humanity. South Africa was criticized in 2015 for how al-Bashir managed to flee the country in a private jet before being arrested while visiting Johannesburg for a meeting with African leaders. "There are really a lot of great human rights lawyers in South Africa who are posing challenges to the country's obligations to uphold its constitution and abide by international law," said Professor Hamilton. “And that has consequences at the local level as well. "This happens when you encounter situation where Putin will travel to a country that is member of the ICC. "Different calculations are made if traveling to a country that has not participated in the International Criminal Cou