Rishi Sunak emphasized today that Vladimir Putin should not have a “place at the table” at the G20 conference in Bali.
During the ‘illegal’ conflict in Ukraine, international leaders should not’sit round a table’ with the Russian president, according to the would-be PM.
The intervention comes despite the fact that the Indonesian hosts have indicated that both Putin and China’s Premier Xi Jinping would attend the November meeting.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also been invited, enhancing the possibility that he may meet with Putin.
Boris Johnson has already cautioned that cancelling the summit would just provide Moscow with a “propaganda opportunity.”
Liz Truss, the Tory leadership frontrunner, has also stated that she will “go there and call Putin out.” ‘Our G20 partners and friends have a joint obligation to call Putin’s disgusting behavior out,’ said a spokesman for Mr Sunak.
‘Sitting around a table with him isn’t enough when he’s responsible for children being murdered while sleeping in their beds.’
‘We must send a clear message to Putin that he will not have a seat at the table until he ends his unlawful war in Ukraine.’
Mr Johnson stated in June that Western countries needed to attend the gathering to help win over nations that might otherwise be influenced by Russia or China.
‘I would be utterly shocked if Putin attends in person,’ Mr Johnson said at a Nato conference in Madrid. He’s a social outcast.’
Mr Sunak stated during a Tory hustings with MPs last month, ‘I walked out of the G20 meeting when the Russian finance minister was present.’