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The BRICS summit to be held in Brazil next month is being overshadowed by the possible absence of two of the bloc's most powerful leaders, downplaying the geopolitical significance of the meeting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the July 6-7 summit in Rio de Janeiro due to the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against him, the Kremlin confirmed on June 25.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has signaled that he may also not attend the summit, according to Brazilian officials cited by Folha de Sao Paulo.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin would attend 'online', citing "certain difficulties in the context of the ICC's requirements." The Hague-based court issued the order in 2023, charging Putin and the Russian Commissioner for Children, Maria Lvova-Belova, with war crimes in connection with the alleged unlawful abduction of Ukrainian children since the start of the Russian occupation in 2022.
"In this context, the Brazilian government could not take a clear position that would allow our president to participate in this meeting," Ushakov said. Instead, Russia will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"Russia will participate in the summit proceedings anyway. The development of BRICS and our engagement in the group is one of our highest priorities," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Brazil, as a member state of the ICC, would be legally obligated to arrest Putin if he entered the country. The Russian leader has carefully avoided international travel to ICC signatory countries since the order was issued, although he made a high-profile visit to Mongolia last year in apparent defiance of the court's order.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was recently added to the “database of enemies of Ukraine,” has maintained close ties with Putin after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, provoking negative reactions from Western partners. His recent visit to Moscow, during which he called for a temporary ceasefire, did not result in the signing of broad agreements covering defense, nuclear energy, and scientific cooperation.
However, the 79-year-old Brazilian leader has not been shy about criticizing Russia's aggression. During a recent trip to France, Lula said that "Brazil condemned, from the beginning, the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity by Russia and has been for peace for three years."
Xi's possible absence poses an even greater diplomatic challenge for Lula, who has made personal efforts to secure the Chinese leader's participation. Celso Amorim, Lula's special adviser on international affairs, acknowledged the uncertainty while expressing hope that Xi would attend.
"Of course we would very much like Xi to come, because Lula already has a personal relationship with him, and that also matters, not just the position," Amorim said, as quoted by Folha, suggesting that Chinese Premier Li Qiang could lead the Beijing delegation if Xi does not travel.
When asked by Brazilian media, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said only that “information will be provided in due course.” China usually confirms its leader’s international trips shortly before departure.
If Xi's absence is confirmed, it would mark the first BRICS summit he has missed since taking over as China's leader in 2013. The possible no-show comes amid several bilateral tensions between Brazil and China, including Brazil's rejection of Beijing's "One Belt, One Road" Initiative and recent disagreements over visa reciprocity agreements.
The leadership gaps would leave only founding members Brazil and India represented by their heads of government at the summit, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend alongside Lula. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is also expected to attend, while the participation of newer members remains uncertain.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's participation is in doubt after his country was only offered partner status instead of full membership, a decision that reportedly frustrated Ankara.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has already announced that she will send a representative to the country to attend in person. / Adapted Pamphlet from IntellNews /
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