G20: Putin conveys inability to attend summit in telephone talk with PM Modi, says Lavrov will represent Russia

President Putin conveyed his inability to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi and informed that Russia would be represented by the country’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a PMO release said. Expressing an understanding for Russia’s decision, PM Modi thanked President Putin for Russia’s consistent support to all initiatives under India’s G20 Presidency, it said.

“The two leaders 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 release said. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch.

India holds G20 Presidency and the G20 Summit will be held in Delhi on September 9 and 10. G20 was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues. It was upgraded to the level of Heads of State or Government in the wake of the global economic and financial crisis of 2007, and, in 2009, was designated the “premier forum for international economic cooperation”.

The G20 members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov said that the Presidential office will soon announce who will represent his country.

“This is obviously not my prerogative to make any announcement and statement as regards the presidential schedule. We have seen the Press Secretary who came on record as regards the Presidential schedule in connection with the G20,” said Alipov.

“I would suggest that we wait for the official announcement that will be made by the presidential office. As regards his participation in the G20 and what format it will be, who is going to represent Russia at the summit, I think that such an announcement will be made shortly”, Russia’s ambassador to India said.

With world leaders and delegates from over 40 countries expected to attend the event, Prime Minister Modi said the event in India will witness the biggest participation in the history of the G20 Summit. He said India’s G20 presidency is “people’s presidency”, with public participation being at its forefront.

“The month of September will give the world a glimpse of India’s potential. We are fully prepared to host the G20 Leaders Summit next month in Delhi. Heads of 40 countries and many global organisations will be here to participate in the event. The event this year will see the biggest participation in the history of the G20 Summit,” PM Modi said.