Putin to skip G20 Summit; Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to attend

Russian President Vladimir Putin will be unable to attend the G20 Summit on September 9-10 in India and will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the premier told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (August 28).

The two leaders also reviewed progress on a number of issues of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, including the recently concluded BRICS summit in Johannesburg, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

The Kremlin, in its readout, said “a mutual commitment” to the consistent implementation of “large-scale projects” in the energy sector and joint work on the expansion of international transport and logistics infrastructure was “expressed” during the conversation.

It said the significance of the decision on the expansion of BRICS at its summit in Johannesburg last week figured in the conversation and they emphasised that it will undoubtedly contribute to the growth of the grouping’s influence in international affairs.

Bilateral cooperation

The PMO said Modi and Putin reviewed progress on a number of issues of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues of “mutual concern”, including the recently concluded BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg.

“President Putin conveyed his inability to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi on September 9-10 and informed that Russia would be represented by Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov,” the PMO said in a statement.

“While expressing an understanding for Russia’s decision, the PM thanked President Putin for Russia’s consistent support to all initiatives under India’s G20 Presidency. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch,” it added.

India is hosting the G20 summit in New Delhi in its capacity as the current president of the grouping.

Discussion on BRICS

Putin did not travel to Johannesburg for the BRICS summit from August 22-24 and joined some of its key sessions through video conferencing.

The Kremlin also said that topical issues of “Russian-Indian relations, steadily developing in the spirit of the special and privileged strategic partnership, were touched upon.”

“The positive dynamics of trade and economic cooperation was underscored. A mutual commitment to the consistent implementation of large-scale projects in the energy sector and joint work on the expansion of international transport and logistics infrastructure was expressed,” it said.

“The results of the XV BRICS summit in Johannesburg were discussed. The significance of the agreements reached, primarily, the expansion of BRICS, which will undoubtedly contribute to the growth of its influence in international affairs, was emphasised,” it said.

New BRICS entrants

In a landmark move, the top leaders of the BRICS nations last week decided to admit Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as full members of the grouping that is largely seen as a counterweight to Western powers.

“The sides agreed on close interaction in the context of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship starting on January 1, 2024. An exchange of views was also held with regard to the upcoming G20 summit in New Delhi,” the Kremlin added.

Finally, Putin once again warmly congratulated Modi on the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 near the Moon’s South Pole and that they reaffirmed the willingness to further develop bilateral cooperation in the space exploration sector, it said.