Lavrov Storms Out Of G20 Meeting Over 'Fevered Criticism Of Russia'

Lavrov Storms Out Of G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting Over "Fevered Criticism Of Russia"

TYLER DURDEN

With Indonesia's preparation for the 17th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit now in full swing, a series of bilateral meetings were held this week ahead of the November summit in Bali. Foreign ministers attended in person, leading to some tense moments given Russia's representation, after President Vladimir Putin has recently confirmed that he'll participate in November, though it's still unclear if this will be virtually or in person.

High on the agenda has been global food, energy, and fertilizer supplies, as "The Ukraine war was discussed at almost all bilateral meetings at this week's G20 event, where some participants condemned Russia's invasion and urged an immediate end to hostilities through diplomacy and talks, Indonesia's foreign minister said on Friday," according to Reuters.

"Retno Marsudi, in remarks as chair of the gathering in Bali, praised G20 counterparts for attending in person amid global tensions over the impacts of the Ukraine war, decisions she said should not be taken lightly," the report adds.

During a G20 foreign ministers meeting on Friday, wherein Western countries offered scathing criticism of Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, Russian FM Sergei Lavrov stormed out of the talks. In a press briefing afterwards, he made his criticisms known:

"Our Western partners are trying to avoid talking about global economic issues," Lavrov told reporters outside the Mulia hotel. "From the moment they speak, they launch into fevered criticism of Russia."

He added, "During the discussion, the Western partners avoided to follow the mandate of the Group of Twenty to address the global economy issues, and to reach agreements to find solutions related to sustainable development within the UN, and lost their train of thought once they started to criticize Russia amid the situation in Ukraine."

He described that his counterparts in the meeting refused to answer several "hard-hitting questions" he offered to the group. Instead, "They have no answers to these questions, there is only blatant russophobia, which they substitute for the necessity to negotiate key problems in the global economy and finance," Lavrov said.

Despite being at the same event and in the same vicinity, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has shunned the potential for a meeting with his Russian counterpart in Bali.