HMM: Xi, Putin Absent As BRICS Nations Meet In Rio.
Xi’s absence, the first in his 12 years as president, is widely seen as a setback to the political weight of the summit.
Analysts say the Chinese leader may be seeking to avoid diplomatic friction with the United States after recent talks to ease trade tensions.
Others suggest internal geopolitical calculations, such as avoiding being overshadowed by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is being hosted with full honours in Brazil.
Also missing is Russian President Putin, who will participate virtually due to his standing arrest warrant over alleged war crimes.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian will not attend either, amid lingering tensions following a brief but intense conflict with Israel.
The absence of key figures like Xi and Putin is a diplomatic blow to host president Lula, who is using the summit to showcase Brazil’s global relevance ahead of a busy international calendar that includes the G20 summit and COP30.
“Brazil is the superpower of the future — and always will be” is a joke older than I am.
Meanwhile, just south of Brazil:
Argentina’s economy grew 7.6% Year-on-Year in Q2! 🇦🇷
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 6, 2025
Cutting spending and red tape works wonders, but remain anathema to Lula.