'Chances high for Putin's participation in 2023 G20 Summit in India'

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to participate in the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, Russia's G20 (Sherpa) Svetlana Lukash has stated.

"I hope that, of course, [Russia's president] will go [to the G20 Summit]. But this, in any case, is up to him to decide. Now, when the next summit is one year ahead, I cannot give an answer to such a question. The way I see it, that there are all chances for this," Lukash told Russian state news agency TASS on Friday.

Lukash recalled that the meeting of the G20 leaders in New Delhi, as the Indian organizers had announced, was scheduled for September 9-10, 2023.

India took over the G20 presidency from Indonesia on December 1. Putin had skipped the G20 Summit in Indonesia. In all during its G20 presidency, India intends to hold about 200 events across the country. Lukash said that she is hopeful that the Russian President will attend the Summit next year, however, it is up to him to take the final call, she added.

The Russian G20 Sherpa said that she is hopeful that her country nation won't miss a single event and emphasised the significance of Russia's attendance in order to take a stand and express its opinions.

"I hope that we will not miss a single event - be it a meeting of a working group or a seminar, or a conference. It is important for Russia to participate in any event to demonstrate its position, express its views, and see the best practices that partners from other countries have," Lukash was quoted as saying by TASS.

The first G20 Sherpa meeting under India's Presidency kicked off in Udaipur on December 5 where Lukash said that digital transformation and innovations are key drivers of growth and development. She further said,"Hence proposed by #G20India as cross-cutting topics at all the G20 working tracks." During the G20 Sherpa meeting held in Udaipur, Russian G20 Sherpa Svetlana Lukash lauded India and Indian Sherpa Amitabh Kant for putting 'Women-led development' as one of the group's key priorities.

Taking to Twitter, Lukash said, "Grateful to #G20India and @amitabhk87 for putting 'Women-led development' as one of the key priorities of G20. Women are catalysers of positive transformations!"

In a series of tweets, Lukash said, "So inspired by meeting with highly professional and charming experts of #G20India Team! G20 is destined to succeed with their committed hearts and creative minds!"

The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.

Last month, Indonesia handed over the G20 presidency to India in the presence of PM Modi at the Bali summit for the coming year.