The meeting is expected to witness tense discussions (Anton Raharjo/Anadolu Agency)
she called Indonesiathe host country of the Group of Twenty this year, to end The war in UkraineToday, Friday, at the opening of a meeting of the group’s foreign ministers in Bali is expected to witness tense discussions.
“It is our responsibility to end the war as soon as possible and to settle our differences at the negotiating table, not on the battlefield,” said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. She added that the repercussions of the war “are visible all over the world in terms of food, energy and budgets. As usual, poor and developing countries are the most affected.”
The United States, backed by part of its Western allies, called for Russia to be excluded from international forums. But Indonesia, which wants to maintain a neutral position, as the host country of the Group of Twenty, confirmed its invitation to the Russian foreign minister. She also invited his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, who participated online.
The US Secretary of State confirmed Anthony Blinken For journalists, today, that Russia heard a “chorus” of calls to end the war in Ukraine with the participation of Sergey Lavrov At the meeting.
The US official said: “What we have heard so far is a strong chorus from all over the world, not only from the United States (…) calling for an end to the aggression.”
Blinken to Lavrov: To allow grain to leave Ukraine
In addition, a Western official said that Blinken addressed his Russian counterpart in closed-door talks of the Group of Twenty, asking Moscow to allow the shipment of grain from Ukraine. Blinken told Lavrov following refusing to meet him privately: “To our Russian colleagues, Ukraine is not your country and its grain is not your grain. Why do you close the ports? You should allow the grain to go out,” according to the Western diplomat who was present.
Both Blinken and Lavrov are participating in the meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of Twenty, who have not met since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and its global repercussions on the economy and geopolitics will be at the center of the discussions, but the search for consensus among the attendees will be difficult, while the American and Russian officials indicated that they will not hold a separate meeting.
“It cannot be considered as if nothing happened regarding Russia’s participation in the G-20 meeting,” a US official told AFP. The last meeting between Blinken and Lavrov dates back to February in Geneva, when the US Secretary of State warned Russia at the time of enormous consequences if it invaded Ukraine, which it did on February 24.
Lavrov confirmed earlier today that he would not “go behind” the United States for talks, following Blinken refused to meet with him during the G20 meeting in Indonesia. He said, “We are not the ones who gave up contact, but the United States.” “We are not following anyone to suggest meetings,” he added.
Lavrov boycotts the word “Koliba”
Lavrov was absent from a session in which his Ukrainian counterpart spoke via the Internet to the foreign ministers of the Group of Twenty in Indonesia, diplomatic sources told AFP.
Several diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Russian minister attended the morning sessions in Bali, but was not present when Dmytro Kuleba spoke at an followingnoon meeting dominated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This meeting sets the stage for the Presidents and Leaders Summit in November. The United States will seize the opportunity of its convening to launch a campaign aimed at isolating Russia as much as possible on the international scene, especially among developing countries, especially India. Lavrov appeared seated between his Saudi and Mexican counterparts at the opening of the meeting.
(AFP, The New Arab)