S Africa avoids Putin arrest dilemma at BRICS meeting

South Africa attempted to shift attention away from its stance on the Ukraine conflict on Friday, as it hosted a BRICS meeting overshadowed by questions about a possible visit to the country by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Top diplomats from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa met in Cape Town for a second day of talks on the bloc's ambition to provide an alternative to a western-led global order.

However the question of whether Putin would attend a subsequent gathering of the bloc in August, having been invited before an ICC arrest warrant was issued, has dominated this week's meeting.

Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court over accusations that Russia unlawfully deported Ukrainian children. A member of the ICC with strong trade and economic relations with the United States and Europe, South Africa would be expected to arrest him if he sets foot in the country.

The issue has put Pretoria in a tight diplomatic spot, and ministers largely dodged a barrage of questions about Putin during the first day of discussions.