Russia to attend G20 summit in place of Putin as foreign minister

Russia says Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend the G20 summit in Brazil, replacing Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mariya Zakharova said on the 13th local time, "The Russian delegation will be led by Minister Lavrov on behalf of the president of the Russian Federation."

As a result, Lavrov will speak at the G20 plenary session on the 18th on the theme of eradicating inequality, hunger, and poverty, and reforming international organizations, and will hold bilateral meetings and contacts with representatives of other countries on the occasion of the summit.

Putin previously said at a media conference ahead of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, last month that he would not attend the G20 summit in person.

Earlier, Ukraine asked Brazil to execute an arrest warrant for the International Criminal Court if Putin attends the G20.