Russia says Putin won't fly to Glasgow, in blow for climate talks

(Reuters, 20 Oct 2021) A spokesman says Russian leader will aim to speak via video conference, adding that the climate issues to be discussed at COP26 "form one of the priorities of our foreign policy".

Russia delivered a blow to hopes of a breakthrough international deal on climate change when the Kremlin said on Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin would not fly to Scotland for talks starting at the end of this month.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would take part remotely, but the no-show by the leader of the world's fourth-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases is the latest setback, with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also uncertain to attend.

Britain, which hosts the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, or COP26, in Glasgow from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12, is seeking support from major powers for a more radical plan to tackle global warming.

The Kremlin had previously announced that Putin would not attend a Group of 20 summit in Rome in person this month due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Reuters, 20 Oct 2021: Russia says Putin won't fly to Glasgow, in blow for climate talks