Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to attend the upcoming G20 Summit which is scheduled for next year in India's national capital, New Delhi. While speaking to the Russian news agency, TASS on Friday, Russia's G20 (Sherpa) Svetlana Lukash said she was not certain about Putin's final decision but added the current scenario forecasts that the Russian President would attend the global event in India. Lukash asserted that the event is scheduled for September next year, hence, it was not fair to announce Moscow's final decision in December this year.
"I hope that, of course, Russia's President will go to the G20 Summit. But this, in any case, is up to him to decide. Now, when the next summit is one year ahead, I cannot answer such a question. The way I see it, there are all chances for this," Lukash told TASS.
It is worth mentioning that India officially took over the G20 presidency from Indonesia on December 1 this year. During its G20 presidency, India intends to organise nearly 200 mega events across the country. While announcing its plan, New Delhi disclosed the schedule for the next Summit from September 9-10, 2023.
Although during the last Summit that witnessed the attendance of world leaders such as US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian PM Narendra Modi and others, Putin chose to skip the event. However, Lukash ascertained that the current scenario prophecies that the Russian leader may attend the event.
Further, Lukash maintained that she is hopeful that Moscow won't miss a single event and emphasised the significance of Russia's attendance in order to take a stand and express its opinions. "I hope that we will not miss a single event - be it a meeting of a working group or a seminar, or a conference. It is important for Russia to participate in any event to demonstrate its position, express its views, and see the best practices that partners from other countries have," Lukash was quoted as saying by TASS.
It is worth noting that the G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.
It includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the USA and the European Union (EU). Earlier last month, Indonesia handed over the G20 presidency to India in the presence of PM Modi at the Bali summit for the coming year.