Ukrainian Ambassador Explains Why Volodymyr Zelensky Is Difficult to Attend G20 Bali Summit

Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia Vasyl Hamianin said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was unlikely to arrive directly to the G20 summit in Bali because of some problems. The state of affairs in invading Ukraine was his obstacle.

"When the president arrives in Bali, (we) will lose a lot of things (in Ukraine), because he as president cannot hold face-to-face, some people will wait for him, some people will have trouble contacting him, something ugly (can) happen," Hamianin said in an interview with Tempo in Jakarta, Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

Hamianin explained that if Zelensky followed face-to-face virtually, it would only take two hours each day. That's more likely because Russia is still breaking down Ukraine's infrastructure.

The G20 Summit with a face-to-face pattern will be held in Bali on November 15 and 16, 2022. Indonesia is the presidency of this year's G20 summit. The concentration in the G20 Summit is the improvement of the post-pandemic global economy, with a focus on the health sector, digital transfer, and energy transition.

The face-to-face of the heads of state of G20 members was overshadowed by the global critical in the field of food and energy, which was spurred by Ukraine's Russian war. In some ministerial face-to-face, some Western countries that the United States holds strongly denounce Russia's aggression towards Ukraine and its effects on food and energy criticalities.

Indonesia as the chairman of the G20 this year cannot kick Russia out of G20 meetings because of the prescedent argument of membership. All decisions in that economic community, are made by agreement.

Hamianin said President Zelensky's arrival at the G20 summit did not depend on the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Hamianin sees the most important thing for this community, which is to solve the global critical problems caused by Russian aggression towards Ukraine.

Initially, President Joko Widodo said there was an opportunity for President Putin and President Zelensky to come to the G20 summit virtually. Their immediate arrival, Jokowi said, will only be carried out if conditions permit.

"So many days ago I have spoken by telephone with President Putin and President Zelensky, he said he would come if the circumstances allowed," Jokowi said as broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

Jokowi did not elaborate on the circumstances that allowed him to have Putin and Zelensky come directly to Bali on November 15, 2022. However, Jokowi did not object to the absence of the two conflicting heads of state.

"Ya asked him (Putin and Zelensky), he told me what if he would come if the circumstances allowed it. But if not, someday, like the other day, President Zelensky will ask for a virtual," Jokowi said.

As of Tuesday, November 8, 2022, President Jokowi claimed that the number of heads of state who want to come to the G20 summit is around 17 people. Jokowi did not elaborate on some of the country's names, but he said one of those who had been verified to be coming was American President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Jokowi said that the verification of arrivals that reached 17 countries was quite high.