Italian Premier Mario Draghi says the Indonesian presidency of the Group of 20 nations has ruled out in-person participation by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the November meeting of the group in Bali.
The Nov. 15-16 summit risked awkward diplomatic encounters if Putin were to have come. The Kremlin had said earlier that Putin intended to go.
From the archives (April 2022): Russia gets invitation to G-20 gathering in Bali this fall, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine notwithstanding
But Draghi, whose country held the G-20 presidency before handing it off to Indonesia, said Tuesday the G-7 had rallied to support Indonesian President Joko Widodo to organize a successful summit.
Asked about the Kremlin’s announcement that Putin would participate, Draghi said: “President Widodo excludes it. He was categorical: [Putin] is not coming.
“What might happen — I don’t know what will happen but what might happen is perhaps a remote intervention,” he added.
[AP]