Delhi G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting could be stormy with Nord Stream controversy on Russia’s radar

Russia has said that it will “clearly express” its assessments of the current situation in the sphere of security, energy and food at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting which kicks off in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be leading his country’s delegation at the March 1-2 Foreign Ministerial Council in the Indian capital which will bring together the heads of foreign affairs departments of the world’s leading economies and invited countries, as well as specialized international organisations.

“An impartial factual picture of the terrorist attack that took place in the zone of responsibility of the EU and NATO with the undermining of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, the illegal arrest of humanitarian cargoes of Russian fertilizers for the needs of Africa and the poorest countries will be presented,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang will also be in attendance at the meeting which is taking place just after the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on February 24.

The participants account for about 80% of GDP, international trade and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as 2/3 of the world’s population.

Moscow asserted that during the meeting, which is being held under the unifying slogan of the Indian chairmanship about the commonality of the planet and its future, it intends to “firmly and openly” state the causes and instigators of the current acute problems in world politics and the economy.

“Particular emphasis will be placed on the West’s attempts to take revenge for the fact that the levers of dominance are inevitably slipping out of its hands, on its desire to continue extracting unilateral rent, including through unequal trade exchanges and violent interference in the affairs of sovereign states,” the statement from Russian MFA mentioned.

Moscow stated that it considers the G20 platform as a key forum for global governance and fully supports the task set by the Indian G20 Presidency to promote a unifying agenda that will help restore confidence in multilateral diplomacy and prevent fragmentation of the world economy.

Russia pledged to make a significant contribution to India’s stated priorities, including ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic growth; accelerating progress towards achieving sustainable development goals; reforming multilateral institutions; digital modernization and strengthening the economic involvement of women.

“At the same time, of course, we will firmly defend fundamental Russian interests and defend the international order based on the central role of the UN and international law. We will actively seek recognition of the new global realities that establish a multipolar system of relations between states,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry ahead of the crucial meeting.

As reported by IndiaNarrative.com earlier, Lavrov and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be holding a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the event to discuss ways to further advance cooperation in key areas with trade and investment, transport and logistics cooperation, the use of national currencies in mutual settlements, and promising projects in the energy sector being the main thematic blocks.

The two ministers will also exchange assessments of topical international issues, including interaction under the Indian chairmanship of the SCO and the G20, as well as coordination of approaches in the UN, BRICS and RIC. A number of regional topics will be touched upon, including the formation of security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region, the state of affairs in Afghanistan, and the situation in Ukraine.

Lavrov will also take part in one of the sessions of India’s annual premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, the Raisina Dialogue.

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