Kremlin: Russia not decided on whether Putin will attend G20
Russia is preparing for this year’s G20 summit in Indonesia but has not yet decided whether President Vladimir Putin will attend in person or virtually, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, quoted by Reuters.
Indonesia is currently chairing the Group of 20 major economies. It has invited both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to a leaders summit in November, despite pressure from some Western countries to exclude the Russian president.
On Friday, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to the G20 summit in November, which will also be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I have invited President Zelenskyy to attend the G20 summit,” said Jokowi, suggesting a compromise had been reached following Western pressure to bar Russia from the event in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Putin confirmed in a phone call with Jokowi he will attend the summit, to take place on Bali island, the Indonesian leader said in a livestreamed address.
But Jakarta had insisted that, as the host, it must remain impartial, while US President Joe Biden had suggested Ukraine could take part. Zelensky had announced in a tweet that he was invited to the summit by Indonesia on Wednesday, following a call with Widodo.
Russia is a G20 member, while Ukraine is not. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Indonesia has faced fierce pressure from Western countries, led by the United States, to bar Russia from the summit.
