Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in discussions of the BRICS summit via video conference format for all three days, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Tuesday.
"The video conference in the context of the upcoming summit provides for the full participation of our president in all the discussions that are scheduled at the moment [...] All three days the president will be online and will have the opportunity to directly conduct a discussion with his partners, with his friends, the leaders of the four BRICS countries," Ushakov told a briefing, adding that the president's work at the summit will be very substantive.
On August 22, Putin will make a video address at the closing ceremony of the BRICS business forum. On the next day, the Russian leader will participate via video conference in a meeting of BRICS leaders dedicated to the topic of expanding the membership of possible participants, and in meetings in narrow and expanded format, the official explained.
Putin will take part in the traditional joint meeting of the leaders of the BRICS countries with the leaders of the invited countries on August 24, Ushakov said.
"In addition, the minister [of Foreign Affairs Lavrov] will hold the necessary bilateral meetings, and, among other things, talk with the leaders who will be present in person," Ushakov added.