Putin to attend G-20 summit in Indonesia: Russian envoy

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Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to attend the summit of the Group of 20 economies in Indonesia in November this year, the Russian envoy to Indonesia said Wednesday amid a reported attempt from some G-20 members to expel Russia from the group following its invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Lyudmila Vorobieva told reporters in Jakarta that Putin “has been invited” by Indonesia, this year’s rotating chair of the group, to the summit to be held on the island of Bali, stressing the reaction from the Western countries to Russia’s military operation in Ukraine is “disproportional.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Anadolu Agency/Getty/Kyodo)

“It (Putin’s attendance) will depend on many, many things, including the COVID situation that is getting better. So far, the intention is to…he wants to come,” Vorobieva said.

The United States and its allies have been assessing whether Russia should remain within the G-20 following its invasion of Ukraine, a Reuters report said citing sources.

Vorobieva downplayed the reported move to exclude Russia, saying the G-20 should be a forum to solve economic problems and “without Russia, it would be difficult to do so.”

Indonesia should not give in to such pressure from Western countries, she said.

While the Indonesian Foreign Ministry has not responded to calls on the expulsion of Russia, the ministry last week said that the G-20 has always been a forum to discuss global economic issues, while organizations such as the U.N. General Assembly provide a place for debate on war and other issues.

Indonesia has not taken any punitive measures against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, which started on Feb. 24. But the United States, Britain and EU member nations as well as Japan have imposed a series of sanctions against Moscow, including revoking Russia’s “most-favored nation” trade status and freezing Putin’s assets.

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