Russian Ambassador Asserts Putin's Attendance in G20 Bali Summit

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Lyudmila Vorobieva in an interview with Tempo on Friday, April 15, asserted that President Vladimir Putin will be present in the 2022 G20 Bali Summit amidst rising geopolitical tensions following Russia’s military aggression on Ukraine. 

Amidst strong rejections from the international community, Vorobieva insists that Putin has confirmed his intention to arrive at the summit and claims that Putin “Positively responds to the invitation from President Joko Widodo,” said the ambassador.

She also acknowledged Indonesia’s stance in the issue which she believes has not adhered pressure from Western nations. 

The G20 committee so far has invited all of its members under a procedural precedent, which is the basis of Indonesia’s decision to invite the Russian president. 

Vorobieva assessed that the G20 panel must stick to key economic issues such as post-pandemic recovery, strengthening global health services, sustainable energy transition, and digital economic transformation.

However, she questioned Western leaders’ suggestions to invite Ukraine to the G20 summit and argued that the presence of Ukraine in the upcoming Bali summit will not help solve economic problems.

In a press conference on March 24, the Ambassador and Special Staff of the Priority Program for the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Indonesian G20 Co-Sherpa, Dian Triansyah Djani, said that the invitation letter for the Bali Summit had been sent to Russia on February 22, 2022. The invitation also applies to all G20 meetings.

Reuters reported on March 31, that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Russia cannot be a constructive partner in the G20, a group composed of most of the world's largest economies, because of its invasion of Ukraine. 

"The bottom line is: It can't be business as usual to have (Russian President) Vladimir Putin just sitting around the table pretending that everything's okay," Trudeau said.

At a press conference at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, April 14, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson , Teuku Faizasyah, said that Indonesia listened and would consult all opinions of G20 member countries regarding the situation, including inviting Ukraine to the Bali Summit.

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi is scheduled to depart to European countries which include the United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, and Turkey on April 19, with one of her agendas being the dialogue on the Ukrainian crisis and G20.

Read: Indonesia Confirms Inviting Russia to G20

DANIEL AHMAD