Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will not attend the UN COP26 (Conference of the Parties) climate summit in Glasgow, the Kremlin said on Wednesday

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will not attend the UN COP26 (Conference of the Parties) climate summit in Glasgow, the Kremlin said on Wednesday. No reason was given for the decision not to attend, but a Kremlin spokesperson said climate change was an “important” priority for Russia.

COP26 takes place in Scotland’s largest city from 31 October to 12 November.

Russia’s decision is seen as a blow to efforts to get leaders to negotiate a new deal to stall rising global temperatures. Unfortunately, Putin will not fly to Glasgow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that climate change was “one of our foreign policy’s most important priorities.”

Mr Putin has not commented on the official announcement, but speaking at an international energy forum in Moscow on 13 October, the Russian leader cited the coronavirus pandemic as a factor in his decision to travel.