During Indonesia's presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) in 2022, the countries of the Group of Seven (G7) asked Jakarta to exclude Russia from the group. This was disclosed by the country's Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
According to her, this happened after the start of the special military operation in February 2022. "At that time, the G7 told me that we should exclude Russia from the G20," the minister was quoted by CNBC Indonesia. She stated that despite the pressure, she refused to do so.
Additionally, the minister pointed out to her colleagues from the G7 that they have their own association, while the Indonesian government is committed to maintaining the format and composition of the G20. "[I said that] this will not happen during Indonesia's presidency. We are the Group of Twenty, whether you like it or not, but the Group of Twenty will not become the Group of Nineteen, and then Seventeen, and finally Eleven. Moreover, you, the Group of Seven, have your own exclusive association," the minister continued.
She lamented that the trend of fragmentation, isolation, protectionism, and ostracism is observed on many international platforms and in the world at large. According to her, the division of the world into self-enclosed blocs leads to the most vulnerable and poorest countries losing the most. Furthermore, the continuation of such practices could lead to global economic stagnation.
It was repeatedly reported in 2022 that the G7 countries advocated for Russia's exclusion from the Group of Twenty. However, the G20 is an informal association, and there are no procedures for excluding a member. Additionally, amid calls from the G7 countries, several G20 members, including Brazil, Indonesia, China, and South Africa, indicated that they would not support such a decision.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Abd Katon/Pixabay
Based on materials from TASS