Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting, confirmed Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, at a press conference on Friday.
Zakharova emphasized that Lavrov’s speeches will provide a comprehensive analysis of the international situation, with a special focus on the causes of the ongoing geopolitical conflicts. The Russian delegation will also outline “concrete steps to overcome destructive developments” she added.
US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio had announced on February 6 that he would not attend the meeting in Johannesburg, but assured that the US would be represented in some form. At a press conference in Santo Domingo, he stated, “I don’t think the topic of the G20 meeting is so important that we need to give it special attention.”
Prior to that, Marat Belyev, a special envoy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Interfax in an interview that Russia had received numerous requests for bilateral talks with Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 meeting, particularly from countries of the so-called “global South.” International interest in a dialogue with Russia does not decrease, but rather continues to grow, Belyev said.
The G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting, chaired by South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, will take place on February 20 and 21 in Johannesburg. This year’s theme under South Africa’s chairmanship is “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability.”
In total, South Africa plans to host more than 130 events in various formats at different levels throughout the year.
The G20 Summit 2025 is scheduled to take place on November 21 and 22 in Johannesburg, South Africa, marking the 20th meeting of the group of twenty and the first time an African country will host the summit.