Moscow, Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to participate in the upcoming virtual G20 leaders' summit on Wednesday (Nov 22) after his absence from the in-person meeting held in New Delhi in September. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was the one who led the Russian delegation to the G20 summit hosted by India.

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According to a post by Russia's Vesti TV show on its social media page on Sunday (Nov 19), Putin's schedule for the upcoming week includes his participation in the virtual G20 summit. "Vladimir Putin will take part in the virtual G20 summit," the post read.

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India, which currently holds the G20 Presidency until November 30, 2023, announced on Saturday (Nov 18) that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the virtual summit. The summit, as per an official statement, is aimed at building upon the key outcomes and action points from the New Delhi summit held in September.

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Notably, the International Criminal Court (ICC) on March 17 issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing allegations of committing war crimes related to the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from occupied regions of Ukraine to Russia. Since then, Putin's international travel has been limited. 

The G20 leaders reached a consensus during the New Delhi Summit on the language used for the Russia-Ukraine war in the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, while also emphasising the principles of international law, territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

The virtual G20 Leaders' Summit will involve leaders from all G20 member countries, the Chair of the African Union, nine guest countries, and the heads of 11 international organisations. The discussions will also encompass the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit held on November 17, 2023.

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Among the expected agenda items for the Virtual G20 Summit are the effective implementation of G20 decisions and a review of developments since the New Delhi Summit. India, Brazil, and South Africa will form the G20 Troika during the Brazilian G20 Presidency in 2024.

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The G20, comprising of the world's largest economies plus the European Union and the African Union, addresses global issues such as food security, climate change, development, health, and digitalisation.

(With inputs from agencies)