Putin going to G20 ‘a step too far’: Australia PM

Written by Candy Megia on

More in Australia and Oceania:

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks at the top of a meeting of Australian, US, India and Japan foreign ministers at the Melbourne Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Melbourne on February 11, 2022. – (Photo by Darrian Traynor / POOL / AFP)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) – Allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to sit with other world leaders at this year’s G20 summit would be “a step too far”, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Thursday.

Putin has already been invited to the G20 heads of state summit in November by this year’s host Jakarta, and he intends to be there, Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia said this week.

But Morrison objected, citing Russia’s war in neighbouring Ukraine.

“I think we need to have people in the room that aren’t invading other countries,” he said.

The prime minister said he had been in “direct contact” with Indonesian President Joko Widodo about Putin’s attendance at the Group of 20, which brings together the world’s top economies, including the United States, China, Japan and some European nations.

(Front row L to R) The president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masatsugu Asakawa, Japan’s Deputy Finance Minister Masato Kanda, United Arab Emirates Finance Minister Mohamed al Hussaini, Australia’s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Indonesia’s Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Indonesia’s Central Bank Governor Perry Warjiyo, Italy’s Central Bank Senior Deputy Governor Luigi Federico Signorini, chairman of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) Klaas Knot, South Africa’s Central Bank Governor Elias Kganyago, president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Marcus Pleyer and other delegates pose for the “family photo” at the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Jakarta on February 17, 2022. (Photo by Mast IRHAM / POOL / AFP)

“Russia has invaded Ukraine. This is a violent and aggressive act that shatters the international rule of law,” Morrison told a news conference in Melbourne.

“And the idea of sitting around a table with Vladimir Putin… for me, is a step too far.”

China this week described Russia as an “important member” of the G20 and said no member had the right to expel another country, after Washington raised the prospect of excluding Moscow.

Morrison noted that Australia and the Netherlands this month have also launched fresh legal proceedings against Russia over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was shot down over Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing everyone on board.

International investigators say it was struck by a surface-to-air missile originally brought from a Russian military base.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a government meeting via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on March 23, 2022. – President Putin said on March 23 Russia will only accept payments in rubles for gas deliveries to “unfriendly countries”, which include all EU members, after Moscow was hit by unprecedented sanctions over Ukraine. (Photo by Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP)

“So we know Vladimir Putin’s form when it comes to taking the lives of innocent civilians,” Morrison said.

“I am not shocked by their barbarity. I am not shocked by their arrogance in what they are seeking to impose on Ukraine. And that’s why Australia has been one of the strongest in taking action in relation to Russia.”

Australia announced Sunday a ban on all exports of alumina and bauxite to Russia while pledging more weapons and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

The government says Australia has levelled 476 sanctions against Russian individuals and institutions since the invasion began on February 24.

© Agence France-Presse