Attempts to keep out Moscow from G20 destined to fail: Russian official

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko says attempts to remove Russia from the Group of 20 (G20) are bound to fail.

The House and Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday excluded Russia from the Group of 20 and other entities in an agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2023.

On Wednesday, Grushko said the West wants to isolate Russia but the policy has already failed.

“It is the policy of the United States to seek to exclude government officials of the Russian Federation, to the maximum extent practicable, from participation in meetings, proceedings, and other activities of the following organizations: (1) Group of 20; (2) Bank for International Settlements; (3) Basel Committee for Banking Standards; (4) Financial Stability Board; (5) International Association of Insurance Supervisors; (6) International Organization of Securities Commissions,” the NDAA statement states.

In the statement, it is underscored that if the President of the United States reports to Congress that the exemption can be in line with the interests of the country, they may waive the application of the section.

Meanwhile, Verkhona Rada, the parliament of Ukraine, proposed to remove the Russian Federation from the Group of 20.

According to Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a representative of the Holos faction in the parliament, 310 deputies supported Resolution No. 8203 on the withdrawal of the Russian Federation from the composition of the group.

Accordingly, the Ukrainian parliament requested the G20 countries to exclude Russia because they claimed that the country does not meet the goals and principles of the association.

The Verkhovna Rada also asked the Group of 20 to firmly ask the Russian Federation to withdraw all its military forces and other military organizations from Ukraine and to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. It also asked the Group of 20 to condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine.