Ukrainian war, Russia out of the G20? Putin wants to go to the Bali summit

Russia out of the G20 due to the war in Ukraine like the G8 after the annexation of Crimea eight years ago? In some capitals we are starting to talk about it, after the request for exclusion from the group arrived from Poland, but Vladimir Putin has already made it known that he intends to be present at the Bali summit at the end of October which will conclude the Indonesian presidency. And possibly in presence, not on video as happened for the G20 in Rome, when, officially due to a pandemic, he connected from Moscow, like the other great absentee, Chinese President Xi Jinping. “It will depend on many, many things, including the Covid situation, which is improving. At the moment the Russian president’s intention is to go,” said Russian ambassador to Jakarta Lyudmila Vorobieva, noting that the Bali summit on 30 and October 31 will focus on economic issues and not on the war in Ukraine. Against the exclusion of Russia – which would only be possible if all member countries agreed – China immediately took sides: “The G20 is the main forum for international economic cooperation. Russia is an important member and no member has the right to expel another country, “said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. The G20, like the G7, has no written rules for a member to leave the group, acting by consensus. The only way to exclude Russia – given that China, India or even Brazil and Saudi Arabia would hardly be in favor of a Moscow exit – would be if the Indonesian presidency didn’t invite Putin to Bali, they explain. ‘Adnkronos qualified sources, for which it is a completely improbable hypothesis. Indonesia, which for now has refused any comment on the issue, has adopted a cautious attitude on the Russian invasion of Ukraine: last March 2 it voted the resolution of the UN General Assembly condemning the aggression of Moscow, but did not join the sanctions. The issue of exclusion from the G20 – and from the WTO – was raised yesterday by the Polish Minister for Economic Development, Piotr Nowak, who allegedly proposed replacing Russia in the group during a meeting with the US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo. , receiving “a positive response”. On the question of the G20, the American national security adviser Jake Sullivan intervened, “we believe that it cannot be business as usual for Russia in international institutions and in the international community”, but “we want to consult with our allies and partners in these. institutions before making any further pronouncements “. “Not only the G20, many organizations in the West are trying to expel Russia”, the Russian ambassador in Jakarta underlined, calling “the reaction absolutely disproportionate” and warning that the expulsion of her country will make it more difficult to solve “the problems. global economic “. Among the European member countries of the group, the German chancellor Olaf Scholz, current president of the G7, expressed himself for now: “When it comes to the question of how to proceed on the WTO and the G20, it is imperative to discuss it with the countries that are involved and not decide individually “. “It is quite clear – the head of the Berlin government clarified, underlining that the priorities are now different – that we are committed to something other than gathering in these meetings. We urgently need a ceasefire”.