G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting 2022: Indonesia calls for end to Ukraine war, Antony Blinken, Sergey Lavrov in attendance

G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting 2022: The G20 foreign ministers meeting began in Bali, Indonesia on July 8, 2022 with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in attendance. This is the first gathering of the top US and Russian envoys since the launch of Russia's military aggression in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. 

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi directly addressed the war in Ukraine at the opening of the Group of 20 meeting saying, "It is our responsibility to end the war sooner than later and settle our differences at the negotiating table, not the battlefield."

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to reopen dialogue with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the first in months after tensions over several issues including Taiwan. He will not though have any direct meeting with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov.

#UPDATE Indonesia calls for an end to the war in Ukraine as it opened a Group of 20 meeting attended by Russia's foreign minister.

"It is our responsibility to end the war sooner than later and settle our differences at the negotiating table, not the battlefield" pic.twitter.com/Gz4S18TLjF

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 8, 2022

US does not want to embarrass hosts Indonesia

The US State Department did not reveal whether Blinken would walk out of any meetings where Lavrov would be present. As per US officials, the United States does not want to embarrass Indonesia at the G20 Meeting and wants to focus on G20 agenda. There would though not be any group photo of the G20 ministers as is customary. 

We are committed to working through multilateral organizations to advance shared interests while countering global economic instability and food and energy insecurity, which have been exacerbated by Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/oPKPlOMga2

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) July 8, 2022

The hosts had earlier addressed US concerns about Russian FM Lavrov attending the meeting by inviting Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba for the meeting. Indonesia has also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend the G20 leader's summit later this year.

The Russian Foreign Minister was seated between Saudi Arabian and Mexican foreign ministers as the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting began on July 8th. The meeting precedes the G20 Leaders Summit that is scheduled to be held in Bali in November. The G20 Summit 2022 was meant to focus on the global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. However, now the attention has shifted to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has led to a global food and energy crisis. 

VIDEO: 'Why did you start the war?': question asked as Russia's Lavrov attends G20 meeting pic.twitter.com/IXGjAMpP7M

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 8, 2022

British FM Liz Truss cuts trip short

British Foreign Minister Liz Truss had to cut her trip short and leave right before the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting after Boris Johnson resigned as the leader of the Conservative Party on July 7, 2022. 

Indian EAM S Jaishankar meets Russian FM Lavrov

The Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishanker met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting 2022 in Bali and discussed bilateral matters of mutual interest. The two Ministers also exchanged views on contemporary regional and international issues including the Ukraine conflict and Afghanistan. 

EAM S Jaishankar met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of Bali #G20FMM.

"Discussed bilateral matters of mutual interest. Also exchanged views on contemporary regional and international issues including the Ukraine conflict and Afghanistan," EAM tweets pic.twitter.com/w4NjuXTc2q

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2022

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