Putin to Skip July 6-7 BRICS Summit in Brazil Over ICC Arrest Warrant, Will Join via Video; Xi Jinping Also Absent

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit scheduled for July 6-7 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, due to an outstanding arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Kremlin officials, including Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov, confirmed that the decision stems from concerns over the lack of clear security guarantees from Brazilian authorities, who are obligated to act on the ICC warrant given Brazil's membership in the court. Putin will instead participate in the summit via video link. The ICC warrant relates to allegations of war crimes committed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including the mass abduction of Ukrainian children.

This marks the second consecutive BRICS summit Putin has missed for similar reasons, having also skipped the 2023 summit in South Africa, another ICC member country. Additionally, Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the summit in person for the first time. The Kremlin described the absence as a consequence of Brazil's unclear stance on the ICC warrant and the risk of Putin's arrest in Brazil.