Putin and Xi Jinping Will Not Attend BRICS Summit in Brazil—What’s the Reason?

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the upcoming BRICS Summit scheduled for early next month due to the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, will represent Russia at the summit. According to media reports, Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to skip the summit.

If confirmed, this would mark the first time in over a decade that Xi will not participate in the annual meeting. Based in Hong Kong, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a close friend of Xi, will attend the meeting in his stead, according to a report published by the Chinese media on Wednesday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent Russia at the BRICS summit in Brazil, while President Putin will participate via video link, according to Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov.

Brazil Hosting the 17th BRICS Summit

On July 6–7, Brazil, the current BRICS chair, will hold the 17th regular summit in Rio de Janeiro. South Africa, China, India, Russia, and Brazil make up the BRICS group. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the five new members that have joined the group.

ICC Arrest Warrant Against Putin

Because of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) at Ukraine's request, President Putin also did not attend the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2023. The warrant accuses him of committing war crimes, including the forced deportation of hundreds of children from Ukraine. Russia has denied these allegations, and the Kremlin has dismissed the warrant as invalid. Like South Africa, Brazil is a signatory to the ICC and is obligated to enforce its orders.

Meanwhile, during a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun declined to comment on the reports regarding Xi’s absence. He stated that details about China’s representation at the BRICS Summit would be shared at the appropriate time.