Putin Hails Ethiopia’s ‘Constructive Role’ in BRICS, Invites PM Abiy to Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Ethiopia’s “constructive contribution” to the BRICS alliance and formally invited PM Abiy Ahmed to attend the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow (end of October 2026), following bilateral discussions held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

The encounter began with a moment of high-level personal diplomacy as the two leaders shared a ride in President Putin’s presidential limousine to review key bilateral priorities ahead of their formal agenda. Details of the discussion were subsequently disclosed during a broader session held in the presence of the two leaders and key officials from Ethiopia side, including EyobTekalign (PhD) – Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia;GedionTimotheos (PhD) – Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Ambassador Redwan Hussein – Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS).

During the session, President Putin highlighted that BRICS has grown into a fully-fledged strategic partnership aimed at shaping a fair multipolar world order, praising Ethiopia’s active participation since becoming a full member on January 1, 2024. Remarking on their preliminary talks during the car ride, Putin emphasized that Ethiopia remains a long-standing and reliable partner of Russia on the African continent. Looking ahead, the Russian leader stated that he looks forward to PMAbiy’s participation in the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, where both leaders are scheduled to hold another bilateral session to advance multi-sector agreements.