Russia remains interested in working within the G20 but views attempts to politicise the group’s agenda as counterproductive, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said.
G20 is a forum of leading economies comprised of 19 countries and two regional bodies, the European Union and the African Union (AU).
Peskov told reporters on Friday that Moscow continues to see value in the platform, stressing, “We remain interested in continuing work within the G20.”
He added that several countries shared Russia’s concerns over political language in summit documents.
“There are attempts to politicise the document, which, naturally, is perceived with hostility, including by us,” he said. “When there is no possibility of reaching consensus, the document simply does not work and is not adopted.”
He underlined that the G20 is intended to address global economic challenges rather than political disputes.
“We have always been against elements of politicisation being introduced in any way onto the agenda of this organisation,” he said.
Peskov also described the G20 as a “much more representative format” for discussions on the global economy and said its importance “remains significant for many countries.”
Under South Africa’s presidency, Johannesburg will host a meeting of G20 leaders on November 22-23.