During a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, Putin stated Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent his country at the G20 summit next month. The two leaders also discussed BRICS extending membership to six new nations.
Putin’s decision to remain in Russia for the G20 summit falls in line with his virtual-only appearance at the recent BRICS summit in South Africa. Although the Kremlin strongly opposes the International Criminal Court’s war crimes and crimes against humanity arrest warrants for Putin, it clearly understands it is unreasonable for Putin to travel to most countries. Russia and India have maintained ties since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and India remains a major consumer of Russian oil. A Kremlin statement noted the two leaders also discussed strategic and economic partnerships during their call.
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