At the G20 meeting of the leading and aspiring economic powers in Bali, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov caused a scandal. Lavrov left the room in the luxury hotel Mulia on Friday immediately after his speech and did not even listen to the comments of his critics. He then accused the West of preventing the transition to a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine. If the EU and the US want Ukraine to win on the battlefield, “then we probably have nothing to discuss with the West,” he told reporters.
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“Lawrov is still conducting bilateral talks, then he turns to the press and leaves,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the German Press Agency on Friday. He did not attend the official dinner or the afternoon session.
Lavrov thus also eluded the reply from Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), who, as acting chairwoman of the G7 group of leading democratic economic powers, was scheduled to be the next speaker after Lavrov. “The fact that the Russian Foreign Minister spent a large part of the negotiations here not in the room but outside of the room underlines that the Russian government is currently not a millimeter willing to talk,” said Baerbock later.
G20 members appealed to Russia
The vast majority of representatives at the meeting had condemned “Russia’s brutal war of aggression” as the greatest current danger, she emphasized. “The appeal of all 19 states was very clear to Russia: This war must end.”
Indonesian Foreign Minister and hostess Retno Marsudi said participants expressed “deep concerns about the humanitarian consequences of the war, as well as its global impact on food, energy and finance”. Many present had urged a peaceful solution to the conflict through diplomacy and negotiations.
Lavrov took his place between Saudi Arabia and Mexico
Lavrov sat in the hall between representatives from Saudi Arabia and Mexico – far away from his harshest critics from the USA and Europe. He later said the West was urging Ukraine to “use its weapons” in the fighting. The minister criticized the fact that representatives from Western countries denounced Russia as an “aggressor” and “occupier” without looking at the reasons. “Everyone has called on us to end this operation,” he said. In contrast, Lavrov praised G20 hosts Indonesia as a “responsible country” that respects a country’s sovereign rights.
Speaking to participants via video link, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned that the “catastrophic consequences of Russian aggression are being felt far beyond Ukraine”. “A country engaged in a war of aggression against its neighbor and in mass crimes against civilians should be offered only one seat: a seat in an international judicial process,” he said.
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Lavrov’s presence at the deliberations was also seen as a test for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s possible participation in the G20 summit on November 15 and 16, which is also taking place in Bali. Several states have questioned their participation should Putin attend the summit in person.
Journalists asked Lavrov about the end of the war
When Lavrov was welcomed in the seaside resort of Nusa Dua, two German journalists called out questions to the minister. ZDF correspondent Andreas Kynast asked: “When do you stop the war?” Kynast was then taken out of the reception hall by Indonesian security officials. There were initially no further restrictions for him. A second German journalist called out to Lavrov: “Why don’t you stop the war?”
At the start of the meeting, hostess Marsudi had already urgently called for peace. “Our responsibility is to end the war as soon as possible. And to build bridges and not walls.” After a trip by President Joko Widodo to Moscow and Kyiv at the end of June, Indonesia offered to mediate between the conflicting parties.
Baerbock wanted to fly on to Palau in the South Pacific on Friday evening (local time). The Micronesian island nation is particularly affected by climate change. She then travels to Japan for her inaugural visit.
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