TOKYO -- Eager to demonstrate he is not isolated, Russian President Vladimir Putin last month hosted the first expanded BRICS summit. Despite the international stigma surrounding him and his country, the event attracted over 30 nations, including four new members: Ethiopia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. About 20 heads of state attended the three-day conference held in Kazan through Oct. 24.
Putin has been unable to travel freely abroad since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant in 2023 for his alleged war crime of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia. Additionally, Russia faces significant international sanctions for its aggression against Ukraine.
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