Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov traveled to the summit of the Group of Great Economic Powers (G20) on the Indonesian island of Bali. Amid huge international tensions over Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, he is expected to represent Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in the coming days, who has canceled his participation.
Russian state media released a video showing Lavrov getting off his plane in Bali after dark on Sunday night and being greeted with a performance by Indonesian dancers.
At a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in July, he caused an uproar by leaving the meeting early.
The Kremlin only confirmed last week that Putin would not attend the meeting with the heads of state and government of the other G20 countries. The 70-year-old should expect severe criticism of the war he has ordered against Ukraine. After his army’s recent military defeats, the timing for a confrontation with his Western opponents would have been particularly unfavorable from his point of view. On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to address the meeting at the Nusa Dua holiday resort via video.