Putin Will Not Attend BRICS Summit in Brazil Due to ICC Arrest Warrant

MOSCOW:  Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Brazil, scheduled for July 6–7, due to an active arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed on Wednesday. Instead, Putin will participate virtually via video link.

“This is due to certain difficulties in the context of the ICC's requirements,” Ushakov said, referring to the court’s 2023 warrant, which accuses Putin of the war crime of deporting hundreds of Ukrainian children, a charge linked to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
 

Russia's Response to ICC Arrest Warrant

While the Kremlin has dismissed the arrest warrant as "null and void," given that Russia is not a party to the ICC, the legal implications remain for ICC member states.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had earlier denounced the court’s decision as "outrageous and unacceptable," while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed ICC rulings “have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view.”

Russia labels the warrant politically motivated, aiming to tarnish Russia’s reputation.

Why Putin Is Skipping BRICS 2025 in Brazil?

The BRICS summit, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is an annual platform for major emerging economies to collaborate on global development, economic policy, and multilateral cooperation. Putin has consistently portrayed the bloc as a counterbalance to Western dominance. 

Brazil, as a signatory to the ICC, would be legally obligated to arrest Putin if he entered the country, putting the Russian leader at legal risk. While the Kremlin has dismissed the arrest warrant as "null and void," given that Russia is not a party to the ICC, the legal implications remain for ICC member states.

Despite the travel concerns, Putin has previously defied the ICC’s warrant. In 2024, he made a high-profile visit to Mongolia, an ICC member state, drawing criticism from both the court and the European Union for not executing the warrant.

As tensions between Russia and the West persist, Putin’s virtual participation in the BRICS summit reflects the growing complexity of international diplomacy in the growing complexity of international diplomacy in the face of legal accountability.

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