Russian Foreign Ministry: G7 countries are putting pressure on India when coordinating G20 documents

The G7 countries are putting pressure on India, wanting to reflect unilateral approaches on the situation around Ukraine in the final documents of the G20 summit. About it says in a message from the Russian Foreign Ministry about the upcoming participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the summit in New Delhi.

“The G7 countries (primarily the USA, Great Britain, Germany, France) are putting pressure on India, seeking to reflect their unilateral approaches on the situation around Ukraine in the final documents of the G20 events,” the statement said.

Despite this, the Foreign Ministry noted, India is trying to adhere to neutrality. In particular, New Delhi did not agree to invite Ukraine to the summit at the request of the West, the Russian department recalled.

September 7 Bloomberg, citing an unnamed French official wrotethat the G20 countries have agreed on common language regarding the Ukrainian conflict. According to the source, the countries have yet to reach a compromise with Russia.

According to the agency’s interlocutor, China, in the negotiations to prepare the final communiqué of the G20 summit, took a softer position on Ukraine compared to last year. However, India still refuses to condemn the special operation in Ukraine, Bloomberg noted.

In a communique following the G20 summit in 2022, the majority of member countries of the association condemned the special operation in Ukraine. At the same time, the document noted that there are “other opinions” on this issue. Moscow insisted on this clarification.

The G20 meeting will be held in New Delhi on September 9-10. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the Russian delegation at the event will be headed by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin does not plan to personally attend the G20 summit and will not perform at the event via video link.

Previously Vedomosti wrotethat the G20 countries may not agree on the final joint document due to a number of contradictions between them, including on issues of world politics and climate. Lavrov said on September 1 that the G20 summit declaration would be approved by Russia only if it reflected its position.