Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend next week's G20 summit as the Kremlin tries to shield him from potential tensions that could arise from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is reported by Bloomberg, citing sources.
According to the publication, the theme of the war in Ukraine will dominate the meetings in Bali. One of the interlocutors said that instead of Putin, Russia would be represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he would not take part in the G20 if Putin was at the events.
The G20 summit will be held on November 15-16 in Bali, both Putin and Zelensky were invited to it. Political scientist, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Georgy Kunadze, in a conversation with The Insider, described Putin's decision to take part in the G20 summit with the saying "sip jelly for seven miles" ( in vain to go on a long journey ). He recalled that at the G20 summit in 2014, no one wanted to communicate with Putin and did not even sit down at the same table with him for lunch. The Russian leader "sat alone, playing with his jaws" and went home without waiting for the end of official events, Kunadze said.