Overview
- Xi Jinping will not attend the July 6–7 BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro due to a reported scheduling conflict, marking his first absence from the bloc’s gathering.
- Premier Li Qiang will lead China’s delegation in place of Xi, reflecting his prior role at the 2023 G20 summit in India.
- Vladimir Putin will skip the in-person meeting because of a 2023 ICC arrest warrant and will participate remotely by video link.
- Russia will be represented on site by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who will cover key summit events alongside Putin’s virtual involvement.
- Brazilian officials have privately voiced frustration over the late withdrawals, even as China has pledged diplomatic support for Brazil’s presidency of the talks.