Russia has called for the G20 to stop talking about security and focus on the world’s most pressing socio-economic problems, ahead of a summit set to be dominated by Western criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reports.
The G20 is set to meet on the Indonesian island of Bali this week, with Western leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden expected to use the high-profile forum to slam Russia publicly over the war in Ukraine.
In a statement issued ahead of the summit, Russia’s foreign ministry said it was “fundamentally important that the G20 concentrate its efforts on real, rather than imaginary, threats.”
It added: “We are convinced that the G20 is called upon to deal with socio-economic problems. Expanding its agenda into areas of peace and security, which many countries are talking about, is not viable. This would be a direct incursion on the mandate of the United Nations Security Council and will undermine the atmosphere of trust and cooperation in the G20.”
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (pictured) will head Russia’s delegation to the summit – the first since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February – after the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was too busy to attend.
Other world leaders have refused to participate in an official “family photo” when they meet at the G20 in Bali next week because of widespread discomfort at Russia’s presence in the shape of Lavrov, at ehe event.
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