Putin will not deliver a speech via video at the G20 summit: Kremlin

The Kremlin announced on Thursday that President Vladimir Putin does not intend to deliver a video address during the upcoming G20 summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi this weekend.

This meeting takes place amid deepening tensions between Moscow and the West due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a situation that was glaringly evident during last year's Bali summit.

In response to a question about whether Putin would give a separate video speech, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "No, there are no plans for that."

He further noted that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who will lead the Russian delegation at the summit, will handle "all the work."

Last month, Putin deputized his foreign minister to attend a BRICS group meeting in Johannesburg, following controversy over whether South Africa would need to arrest the Russian president based on a memorandum issued by the International Criminal Court.

During the BRICS meeting, Putin delivered a video address, in which he placed responsibility for the war in Ukraine on the West.

Putin's invitations to attend international conferences and summits often draw ire from some Western countries, who describe him as "isolated" due to Russia's actions in Ukraine.

It is likely that deep-seated disagreements over the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, gradual fossil fuel phase-out, and debt restructuring will hinder any agreements that may be reached at the New Delhi summit, which is set to span two days.

Additionally, the absence of China's President Xi Jinping, the second-largest economic power in the world, is noteworthy given the escalating trade and geopolitical tensions between China and both the United States and India, which share disputed borders with China.


AFP