Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend Pope Francis’s funeral, the Kremlin confirmed on Tuesday.
Putin's foreign travel is limited by an International Criminal Court, ICC, arrest warrant.
He is subject to the ICC warrant for the alleged forced deportation of children during Russia’s offensive on Ukraine.
And he will not be present at the burial of the late Pope on Saturday.
“No. The president has no such plans,”; Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked if Putin would go to Saturday’s funeral.
Before the funeral takes place at 10am local time (9am BST), Pope Francis' body will be moved from the Chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae to St Peter's Basilica.
It will remain at the Basilica for three days for the public to pay their last respects to the late Catholic Church leader.
The Vatican have said the transfer could take place as early as Wednesday morning before the funeral this weekend.
