Sergei Lavrov
In President Vladimir Putin’s absence, Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, came on Friday to lead Moscow’s team to the G20 summit.
Given the tense state of ties between Moscow and several G20 participants due to the conflict in Ukraine, President Putin will not be attending the summit or even addressing through video.
“We are working closely with all G20 countries to… combat attempts to explain the world’s humanitarian and economic problems solely through the conflict in Ukraine”, Mr. Lavrov’s ministry said in a statement before to his arrival.
According to the ministry, the war was provoked and continues to be instigated by the Americans, to the detriment of European security.
Tensions have risen as a result of Russian attacks on Ukrainian grain export terminals and Ukrainian forces targeting Moscow’s naval ports and warships.
European Council President Charles Michel, who is also in New Delhi for the G20 summit, said Friday that Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports is scandalous and must be lifted.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who arrived earlier in the afternoon, said Putin’s absence from the summit of the world’s top leaders demonstrated that Putin was the architect of his own diplomatic exile.
Also read: RBI To Gradually Reduce Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio Maintenance
