Rishi Sunak said Russia must “get rid of Ukraine and end the barbaric war”, as he faced Vladimir Putin’s representatives at the G20 summit.
In the first session, the prime minister made these comments on Tuesday. He was critical of the absence of the Russian President at talks on Bali island.
He said, “It’s remarkable that Putin didn’t feel able join us here.” “Maybe he could have joined us here, and we could continue to sort things out.”
“Because Russia must get out of Ukraine and stop this barbaric war. That is the greatest difference anyone can make.
“The UK rejects aggression. We will support Ukraine for as long it takes.”
The Kremlin blamed scheduling conflicts for Mr Putin’s decision not to attend the talks. However, observers claim officials are trying to protect him from being condemned by world leaders.
Russia was also repudiated by Mr Sunak, who said that “countries shouldn’t invade their neighbors”.
He stated that countries should not invade neighbouring countries, should not attack civilian infrastructure or civilian populations, and should not threaten nuclear escalation.
“Surely these things are something on which all of us can agree.”
The prime minister met with the leaders of 19 of the largest economies around the world in Bali. This was the first time in the group’s history of 15 years that it has held a meeting under the shadow of a major European conflict instigated or supported by one of its members.
“Chorus for opposition to Putin”
Sunak will use this summit to encourage the most powerful economies in the world to reduce their dependence upon Russian exports and to support others.
He will also reiterate UK support for Ukraine’s finances, stating that he contributed PS4.1bn to aid in his time as chancellor.
This includes PS2.3bn in military assistance, and Mr Sunak will pledge to match that level of spending next fiscal year.
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He stated that Putin and his proxies would never be allowed to have a seat at the table unless they ended their illegal war in Ukraine.
He said, “At G20 the Putin regime – that has stifled internal dissent and created a veneer of legitimacy only through violence – will hear the choruses of global opposition its actions.”
Russia invaded Ukraine nearly nine months ago. The rest of the world has struggled to cope with the consequences, which included rising energy and food prices.
Many countries stood firm and supported Ukraine with weapons and assistance, while also imposing sanctions against Russia.
Sergei Lavrov (the foreign minister) was sent by Vladimir Putin to attend the talks.
The man was admitted to hospital upon his arrival at the talks. He had a heart condition, according to the Indonesian authorities. However, the Russian foreign ministry denied the claims.
The UK passed legislation last week to prohibit countries from using its maritime services for transporting Russian oil, unless the price cap is met. Number 10 called it a “hugely influential” measure since the UK supplies around 60% of global maritime insurance.
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