Two of the most powerful leaders in the Commonwealth have dropped out of a biennial meeting with the UK PM and monarch so they can attend a summit in Russia instead.
It’s a blow to Keir Starmer and King Charles III, both of whom are travelling for 28 hours to host Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting known as CHOGM.
The King, who is the head of the Commonwealth, will still be hosting 55 nations in Samoa.
But, even though this is a gathering of state leaders which only occurs once every two years, there will be a few rather famous faces missing.
India’s PM Narendra Modi and South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa will be attending BRICS in the Russian city of Kazan, a gathering of more than 20 developing nations which claims to represent 45% of the world’s population.
As the summit is part of Putin’s efforts to show that he actually does still have allies and is not alone on the world stage – despite ongoing sanctions from the West over his war in Ukraine – this is a major win for Moscow.
The Russian president could not even attend last year’s summit, in South Africa, because the international arrest warrant out against him means his host country may have detained him.
Asked about Starmer’s take on Modi and Ramaphosa’s absence, No.10′s spokesperson said: “It’s a matter for them, the prime minister’s focus is very much on CHOGM.”
China’s Xi Jinping will also be at the summit along with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Sri Lanka – which is applying to join BRICS, but does not actually have a seat at their table yet – has also chosen not to send a foreign minister or the PM to Samoa.
Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau decided not to attend CHOGM either this year, and instead sent Ottoawa’s high commissioner to the UK in his place.
It was already shaping up to be a potentially tough summit for the UK.
Charles, who is recovering from cancer, is still the king of 15 Commonwealth countries, but may be braced further backlash in Samoa after an indigenous senator shouted “not my king” at him in Australia this week.
The UK is also likely to face additional calls reparations for its part in the slave trade at CHOGM, although Downing Street has already ruled out apologising at this year’s summit.