Russia’s Vladimir Putin attends Brics summit in South Africa remotely while facing war crimes warrant
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were absent from the Brics summit in South Africa. Putin's travel was complicated by an outstanding International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest, while Xi did not join the other leaders for a business forum. The summit will discuss the possible expansion of the bloc, with over 20 nations applying to join. The five current member countries will have to agree on the criteria for new members. The summit also aims to promote economic cooperation and collaboration in areas such as health, education, and climate change.