Russia to attend G20 ministerial meeting in the US on 30-31 October
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Atlanta on 30-31 October to take part in the G20 ministerial meeting.
Source: Russian media outlet Interfax, citing Maria Zakharova, official spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Lavrov will lead the Russian delegation to the meeting, which will precede the summit where US President Donald Trump expects to talk with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Quote from Zakharova: "Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will lead our delegation at the G20 ministers' meeting – the Group of Twenty is currently meeting under the US presidency, and the ministerial meeting in this format will take place from 30 to 31 October in the city of Atlanta in the US."
Details: Zakharova noted that most organisational issues related to the Russian delegation's stay in the US "managed to be resolved at the last minute".
According to Zakharova, "there was an impression – especially, of course, regarding the situation with the US Embassy in Moscow issuing American visas to Russian delegates heading to the meeting of G20 foreign ministers – that not everyone in Washington was happy about the planned visit of the Russian delegation".
Quote from Zakharova: "As for the substantive component of the work process, during the meeting a thorough discussion is expected on a wide range of geopolitical challenges, including conflict issues and confrontational trends that undermine the foundations of the global economy. Of course, the central topic is the global economy in this case, but not without an analysis of those trends in geopolitics that are taking place, including and primarily destructive ones."
Details: Zakharova added that the Russian delegation will use the meeting of the G20 foreign ministers "to promote Russian ideas aimed at strengthening the foundations of a multipolar world based on the full set of principles of the United Nations Charter, respect for the sovereignty of countries and the development of equal and mutually beneficial cooperation between them".
Background:
- The United States has invited Russian leader Vladimir Putin to the G20's December summit in Miami, where he would be able to meet with Trump.
- The Kremlin said Russia was "grateful for and appreciates this invitation", promising to make a decision on whether Putin will attend later.
- On 17 October, Trump said he did not know whether Putin would attend the G20 summit.
- On 22 October, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine will be represented at the highest level at the G20 summit in Florida in December if invited to attend by his US counterpart Donald Trump.
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