The anticipation was high, but it’s now confirmed: Russian President Putin won’t be making his way to New Delhi for the upcoming G20 summit scheduled for September.
As conveyed to the Russian media, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Russian President, stated, “The main emphasis now is a special military operation.” “President Putin is not planning a trip to G20 summit in India, which will be held in September,” Peskov said.
This development aligns with Putin’s absence from international summits following the Ukraine crisis in February 2022. Notably, he was initially expected to visit Turkey on the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, yet this plan has also been cast in uncertainty with the latest announcement.
Notably, Putin was a no-show at last year’s G20 summit in Bali and similarly stayed away from the recently concluded 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg. Both occasions saw Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov leading the Russian delegation, highlighting the noticeable absence of the President.
While Putin’s absence marks a significant shift, several global leaders have already confirmed their attendance at the G20 summit in India. The White House announced that President Joe Biden is set to be in Delhi from September 7th to 10th. Similarly, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia has also made public his travel plans to India for the event.
Putin’s anticipated visit to India faced a setback earlier with the cancellation of the physical summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), chaired by India. In a virtual format, Prime Minister Narendra Modi steered the SCO summit on July 4th. This cancellation preempted any possibility of Putin’s visit to India for the SCO summit.
While Putin’s international travels have been sporadic, he did visit Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in June 2022. In Tajikistan, discussions centered on the aftermath of the 2021 Taliban takeover in Kabul, while Turkmenistan hosted the Caspian Summit, aiming to enhance land connectivity from South, West, and Central Asia to Russia.
The Russian President’s potential visit to Turkey was scheduled to discuss the Black Sea Grain deal with President Erdogan. However, there is no confirmation about this visit.
Who will represent Russia?
As the G20 summit approaches, Russia’s representation remains in question. Reports suggest that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov might represent Russia at the G20 Leaders Summit in the second week of September. Interestingly, Lavrov’s itinerary includes a visit to Dhaka, Bangladesh, where he’s scheduled to spend less than 24 hours before leaving for New Delhi.
His visit to Dhaka comes at a time when the United States is exerting pressure on the Bangladesh government to align with its efforts to isolate Russia post the Ukraine conflict.
Lavrov’s active involvement in summits comes amidst unique circumstances. Due to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, he has been stepping in for President Putin.
The G20, founded in 1999, comprises 19 countries along with the European Union. These nations include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, and the US. With these dynamics in play, the G20 summit in India is poised to navigate complex global considerations.