G20 summit in Bali: “Fanatical Russophobia” – Lavrov outraged after criticism of Russia

Created: 07/09/2022 04:57

By: Katja Thorwarth, Nail Akkoyun, Tanja Koch

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov caused a scandal at the G20 meeting in Bali.

Meanwhile, the United States is calling on Russia to end the Ukraine war.

• The two-day G20 summit in Bali continues on Friday.

  The main focus will be on the Ukraine war.

• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is also taking part, her counterpart from Russia Sergey Lavrov has already caused a scandal.

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As the Tagesschau reports, the ministerial round at the G20 summit is said to have been “unusually violent”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov complained that terms such as "aggressor, invaders and occupiers" had been used.

Among Western countries, there is "an almost fanatical Russophobia, instead of a common basis for problems like the world economy and finance, for which the G20 was founded."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the attitude of western countries at the G20 summit in Bali.

© Russian Foreign Ministry/Imago

G20 summit in Bali: Lavrov boycotts video message from Ukrainian foreign minister

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The USA and its allies called on Russia at the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Indonesia to end the war of aggression against Ukraine – but the appeals fell on deaf ears on Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: he left during a speech by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock attended the meeting and also boycotted a video message from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Baerbock called Russia a "danger to the whole world". 

Lavrov snubbed his critics and boycotted some of the deliberations in Bali.

According to diplomats, during Baerbock's speech he left the meeting room in protest.

He later boycotted the video message from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba.

Baerbock said Lavrov's absence, especially from the food security session, underscored that he was "not interested" in international cooperation and exchanges with the other G20 countries.

The war is causing the "global food crisis to worsen massively," she said, referring to Ukraine's blocked grain exports.  

G20 summit in Bali: Lavrov leaves session during Baerbock speech

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At the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Indonesia, the Russian head of department Sergey Lavrov left the meeting in protest during the speech by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

As diplomats said on Friday, the Russian foreign minister left the meeting when Baerbock criticized Russia for its war of aggression in Ukraine.

Lavrov also boycotted the subsequent speech by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who was switched on.

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Baerbock said at the conference venue in Bali that Lavrov's absence, especially at the session on food security, underlines that he is "not interested" in international cooperation and exchanges with the other G20 countries.

G20 summit in Bali: Lavrov's early departure "disrespectful"

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The SPD foreign politician Michael Roth described the premature departure of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov from the G20 meeting in Bali as disrespect.

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag also campaigned on Friday in the

to also take part in the summit of the heads of state and government of the G20 countries in November if Russia's President Vladimir Putin is there. 

Since host Indonesia is obviously sticking to inviting Putin, "I would find it problematic (...) to break up the G20 format," said Roth.

G20 summit in Bali: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov causes a scandal - "Nothing to discuss"

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At the G20 meeting of the leading and emerging economic powers in Bali, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov caused a scandal.

Lavrov left the room in the luxury hotel Mulia on Friday immediately after his speech and did not even listen to the comments of his critics.

He then accused the West of preventing the transition to a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

If the EU and the US want Ukraine to win on the battlefield, "then we probably have nothing to discuss with the West," he told reporters.

Summit in Bali: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov leaves G20 meeting early 

+++ 8 a.m.:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov leaves the G20 meeting of leading and emerging economic powers on the Indonesian island of Bali early.

§Lavrov is still conducting bilateral talks, after which he turns to the press and leaves," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told dpa on Friday.

He therefore does not take part in the official meal and in the afternoon session.

Update from Friday, July 8, 7:20 a.m.:

- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Bali on Friday morning for the eagerly awaited talks between the G20 foreign ministers.

Lavrov received a polite but reserved greeting from Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi upon his arrival at the luxury hotel Mulia in the seaside resort of Nusa Dua.

At the same time, against the background of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, loud shouts could be heard from bystanders: “Stop the war!” and “When will you end this war”?

G20 summit in Bali: Baerbock wants to find "clear words" in the direction of Lavrov

+++ 5 p.m.:

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has announced a joint signal from the G7 round of leading democratic economic powers against the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine for the G20 meeting in Bali.

The war not only plunged Ukraine into a disaster, "but completely upended the world," said the Green politician on Thursday after arriving at the G20 deliberations this Friday.

She traveled to Bali with her European colleagues "to make it clear that we are not leaving the international stage to Russia."

Stand with Indonesia's G20 presidency and do not allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to "throw the world into chaos," Baerbock said.

The consequences of the war must not destroy other regions of the world, she emphasized against the background of an impending global hunger crisis.

In addition to Germany and the USA, France, Great Britain, Italy, Canada and Japan belong to the G7 group.

On the fringes of the official G20 negotiations this Friday, Baerbock announced that she and the other G7 representatives would not hold any of the usual bilateral meetings with Lavrov.

"Anyone who bombs our international peace order cannot assume that we are talking about bilateral trade relations." Germany currently holds the G7 presidency.

G20 summit in Bali: No family photo with Lavrov

When asked whether she would shake Lavrov's hand at the meeting, the minister simply said: "We're at an international conference where I can't stand smiling with someone who is bombing Ukraine at the same time - children, adults , attacking civilians in cold blood.” That is why there will be no official family photo, which is otherwise usual.

"In my speech, where Mr Lavrov will be sitting at the table in the conference room, I will find very clear words that we do not accept this breach of international law," said Baerbock.

In addition, she will "urgently appeal again: Stop this bombing," said Baerbock.

Lavrov had arrived in Bali before Baerbock and had already met for talks with his Chinese colleague Wang Yi and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Lavrov's presence is seen as a test for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin's possible participation in the G20 summit on November 15 and 16, which is also taking place in Bali.

Several states had questioned their participation should Putin appear in person.

G20 meeting in Bali: China and Russia condemn sanctions

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian colleague Sergey Lavrov held bilateral talks on Thursday in the run-up to the G20 ministerial meeting.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov informed Wang on the Indonesian island of Bali "about the implementation of the most important tasks of the military special operation in Ukraine", the aim of which is the "denazification" of the country.

Both parties agreed that unilateral sanctions “bypassing the UN” were unacceptable.

China remains on good terms with Moscow, while Western states have sought to isolate Russia internationally over its attack on Ukraine and have imposed sanctions.

Further bilateral talks are expected to take place on the fringes of the G20 meeting: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also meet with Wang Yi on Saturday.

A conversation between Blinken and Lavrov is not planned.

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) will also hold bilateral talks.

G20 meeting in Bali: Baerbock meets Lavrov - "No summit like any other"

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Sergey Lavrov has already had his first talks at the meeting of the G20 foreign ministers in Bali.

On Thursday, the Russian foreign minister held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Nothing was initially known about the content.

G20 meeting in Bali: Lavrov has arrived

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Bali for a meeting of foreign ministers of the G20 group of states.

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is due to arrive on the Indonesian island on Thursday evening, is also taking part in the consultations.

Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine is expected to overshadow the meeting of the group of leading and emerging economic powerhouses.

Lavrov wanted to hold talks with his Chinese colleague Wang Yi and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday, the Russian state news agency TASS reported

citing the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.

The US State Department had previously said that a bilateral meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Lavrov was not planned.

This was later confirmed by Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

Lavrov's presence is seen as a test for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin's possible participation in the G20 summit on November 15 and 16, which is also taking place in Bali.

Several states have questioned their participation should Putin appear in person.

G20 meeting in Bali: Baerbock meets Lavrov - "No summit like any other"

First report from July 7th, 10:10 a.m.:

Bali – As part of the G20 summit in Bali, there will be numerous bilateral talks between foreign ministers of the participating countries from Thursday (July 7th).

The German representative, Annalena Baerbock, will also travel to Bali on Thursday evening. She will be on the road for a total of six days, not only in Bali, but also in Palau and Japan.

As she explained in advance, the meeting will be about "how we deal with the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and its serious consequences for the whole world."

It was initially unclear whether G20 member Russia would be represented by its Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

According to dpa, however, he arrived on Thursday morning (July 7th).

He is planning talks with his Chinese colleague Wang Yi and with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

This was reported by the Russian state news agency Tass, citing the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.

The US State Department had previously said that a bilateral meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Lavrov was not planned.

However, Blinken will also hold talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

G20 Summit in Bali: How will the participants react to the presence of the Russian foreign minister?

Lavrov's presence is seen as a test for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin's possible participation in the G20 summit on November 15 and 16, which is also taking place in Bali.

In the event that Putin appears there in person, several states have already questioned their participation.

In addition, it is eagerly awaited whether some ministers will leave the deliberations in protest at Lavrov's presence, which could lead to a scandal.

The spokesman for the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, Teuku Faizasyah, did not want to comment on such assumptions, but emphasized: "We diplomats should be prepared for different scenarios." In all likelihood there will be no joint final declaration by the G20.

The spokesman said a statement from the State Department is planned at the end of Friday's meeting.

The government in Cambodia announced that it had also invited Lavrov to meetings of the Southeast Asian community of states ASEAN in early August.

G20 summit: Bali offered mediation role between Russia and Ukraine

At the meeting of the G20 foreign ministers on the Indonesian island of Bali, according to Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Green Party), Russia "must not simply be given the stage".

Against the background of the "brutal Russian attack against Ukraine", the meeting in Indonesia will "not be a G20 summit like any other", said a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin.

With a view to the possible participation of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, there will "of course not be business as usual".

The organizers in Indonesia are also “very aware” of this.

Indonesia, the world's largest island nation, holds the G20 presidency this year.

At the end of June, President Joko Widodo traveled to Kyiv and Moscow and met both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin.

He had offered a mediating role in the conflict.

(tk/ktho with afp/dpa)