G20 Summit 2023: Vladimir Putin not planning to make video address, confirms Kremlin

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, when asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin would deliver a separate video address, responded, "No, there are no plans."

The Kremlin announced on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not intend to make a video address at the upcoming G20 summit scheduled for this weekend in New Delhi. This comes as relations between Moscow and the West remain strained due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which had previously caused tensions at the last year's summit in Bali.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, when asked if Putin would deliver a separate video address, responded, "No, there are no plans." He explained that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would oversee all the proceedings and lead Russia's delegation at the summit.

Sergei Lavrov, who represented Russia at the BRICS meeting in Johannesburg in August, will once again take a prominent role at the G20 summit. This follows a dispute over whether South Africa would be compelled to arrest President Putin under an International Criminal Court warrant. Ultimately, Putin delivered an address via video-link during that event, where he placed blame on the West for the Ukraine conflict.

President Putin's invitations to international summits have been a source of controversy, particularly for some Western nations. They have sought to portray him as a pariah due to Moscow's actions in Ukraine, and his participation in such events has generated criticism.

The G20 summit in New Delhi is expected to face challenges and potential roadblocks due to deep disagreements on issues such as the Ukraine conflict, the transition away from fossil fuels, and debt restructuring. These disagreements could hinder the prospects for agreements during the two-day meeting.

In addition to Putin's absence, China's President Xi Jinping will also not attend the G20 meeting. This comes at a time of strained relations between China and the United States, as well as tensions with India, with whom China shares a disputed border.