Still Inviting Russia To Attend G20 Summit, Special Staff Of The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs: Indonesia Invites All Members

Group photo of leaders of the G20 countries at the summit in Rome, Italy. (Wikimedia Commons/Government of Brazil/Planalto Palace)

JAKARTA - Indonesia will continue to invite Russia to attend the G20 Summit which will be held at the end of October, amid heavy criticism over the invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Lyudmila Vorobieva in her statement yesterday in Jakarta said Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning to attend the G20 Summit in Bali.

He appreciated the position of the Indonesian Government as the G20 Presidency, amid requests not to invite Russia to attend.

Regarding this, the Special Staff for Strengthening Priority Programs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the G20 Co-Sherpa, Dian Triansyah Djani, said that Indonesia would still invite Russia.

"As a presidency and in accordance with the previous presidency, Indonesia invites all members," he said in a virtual press statement Thursday, March 24.

He explained that Indonesia has on various occasions led international organizations and forums in the world, always adhering to the applicable rules and procedures.

"One of the duties of the presidency is to consult with all members. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, the Minister of Finance and others hold consultations with all parties on a bilateral basis," he explained.

"Our position is clear, we will carry out our duties. We will not comment on other people's comments," he said.

Apart from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to him, it is no less important to focus on global recovery after COVID-19, because the world has not really come out of the crisis and pandemic, especially for developing countries.

As previously reported, the United States and its Western allies are assessing whether Russia should remain in the Group of Twenty major economies after its invasion of Ukraine, a source involved in the discussions told Reuters.

However, any move to exclude Russia may be vetoed by other countries in the group, raising the prospect of some countries skipping the G20 meeting, the sources said.

"There are discussions about whether it is appropriate for Russia to be part of the G20. If Russia remains a member, it will be a less useful organization," said a senior G7 source.

China, which does not condemn Russia's invasion and criticizes Western sanctions, defended Moscow on Wednesday, calling Russia an "important member" of the G20.

The G20 is a group that needs to find answers to critical issues, such as the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

"No member has the right to dismiss another country as a member. The G20 must implement real multilateralism, strengthen unity and cooperation," he stressed at a press conference.

Most recently, Australian PM Scott Morrison today expressed his concerns regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to attend the G20 Summit in Indonesia.

"The idea of sitting around the table with Vladimir Putin, whom the United States is already in a position to call for war crimes in Ukraine, seems to me a step too far," Mr. Morrison said.