Saudi Crown Prince not attending Russia’s BRICS summit

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is not expected to attend a Russian-hosted BRICS summit later this month, according to the Kremlin, which said the world’s biggest oil exporter would be represented by the kingdom’s foreign minister.

The BRICS group originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and has expanded to include Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and others.

President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, said that nine of the 10 BRICS member states would send their leaders, though Saudi Arabia would send its foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, to the summit in the Russian city of Kazan.