Kremlin Rejects Security Focus of G20 Summit after Ukraine Invasion

Russia has called for the world's leading economies to stop focusing on security, ahead of a summit set to be dominated by criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

The G20 is due to meet on the Indonesian island of Bali this week, with western leaders including US President Joe Biden expected to use the international meeting to condemn the war triggered by the  Kremlin's hostile actions. 

In a statement issued in the run up to the summit, Russia's foreign ministry said it was "fundamentally important that the G20 concentrate its efforts on real, rather than imaginary, threats."

It added: "We are convinced that the G20 is called upon to deal with socio-economic problems. 

"Expanding its agenda into areas of peace and security, which many countries are talking about, is not viable. 

"This would be a direct incursion on the mandate of the United Nations Security Council and will undermine the atmosphere of trust and cooperation in the G20." 

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov will head Russia's delegation to the summit - the first since Moscow invaded 
Ukraine in February - after the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was too busy to attend. 

Earlier, Mr Lavrov accused the West of seeking to "militarise" southeast Asia, in comments that set the stage for a potentially tense confrontation at the G20. 

Russia said the global food crisis would form a key part of the agenda in Bali, which falls just days before the landmark 
Black Sea grain deal could expire on 19 November. 

Moscow is calling for the West to ease some sanctions that it says block crucial agricultural and fertiliser exports, and has so far refused to commit to extend the deal, which facilitates grain exports from Ukraine's southern ports. 

Mr Lavrov also said a joint statement on the results of the summit was not adopted, since "the American side and its partners insisted on an unacceptable assessment of the situation in Ukraine and around it". 

The Kremlin is angered by the support Ukraine receives from its western allies, including the US. 

(Source: Sky News)