Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the funeral of Pope Francis, the Kremlin confirmed on Tuesday.
Putin’s absence is linked to the travel restrictions imposed on him by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant against the Russian leader.
The warrant accuses him of orchestrating the forced deportation of children amid Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters about whether Putin would travel for the burial ceremony, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “No. The president has no such plans.”
Pope Francis’ funeral is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (9 a.m. BST). Ahead of the burial, the Vatican has announced that the late pontiff’s body will be moved from the Chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae to St. Peter’s Basilica.
The body will lie in state at the Basilica for three days, allowing members of the public to pay their final respects. The transfer could happen as early as Wednesday morning, according to Vatican sources.
