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The Group of 20 foreign ministers met in Indonesia on Friday with the top envoys from the United States and Russia attending, their first gathering since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Follow FRANCE 24’s live blog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time, GMT+2.
10:02am: Blinken called on Russia to let Ukrainian grain out during G20 meeting, says Western official
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed Russia directly at the G20 foreign ministers meeting in Bali and called on Moscow to let Ukrainian grain get out to the world, a Western offical said.
Blinken spoke at a plenary session of the meeting, which was focused on food and energy insecurity, said the official, who did not want to be otherwise identified.
"He addressed Russia directly, saying: 'To our Russian colleagues: Ukraine is not your country. Its grain is not your grain. Why are you blocking the ports? You should let the grain out,'” the official said.
9:57am: US asks Russia to recognise fighters held in Ukraine as combatants
Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday the United States had asked that US fighters detained in Ukraine be recognised as combatants, the Interfax news agency reported.
9:15am: No let-up in artillery fire on Donbas front line
Russian forces continue to pound Ukrainian positions with artillery bombardment, a day after Moscow said its troops had been given time to rest, FRANCE 24’s Gulliver Cragg reports from Kyiv.
“The Ukrainian armed forces say this morning that the Russians had some small success in advancing quite near the town of Siversk, west of Lysychansk. But in all other directions their attempts to advance towards the cities of Slaviansk and Kramatorsk were pushed back,” Cragg reports.
Foreign analysts say Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine as it reassembles its forces after securing an unexpectedly swift victory in the battleground city of Lysychansk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned menacingly on Thursday that his forces “haven't even started” to fight.
8:30am: Lavrov dismisses West's 'frenzied' criticism of Russia
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed Western criticism of the war in Ukraine at the G20 meeting, scolding Russia's rivals for scuppering a chance to tackle global economic issues.
"During the discussion, Western partners avoided following the mandate of the G20, from dealing with issues of the world economy," Lavrov said.
He said the West's discussion "strayed almost immediately, as soon as they took the floor, to the frenzied criticism of the Russian Federation in connection with the situation in Ukraine. 'Aggressors', 'invaders', 'occupiers' – we heard a lot of things today," Lavrov said.
Earlier, host country Indonesia urged the G20 to help end the war in Ukraine at the start of a summit that has put some of the staunchest critics of Russia's invasion in the same room as Moscow's top diplomat.
Lavrov said Russia was ready to negotiate with Ukraine and Turkey about grain but it is unclear when such talks might take place.
4:29am: US, Russia's top diplomats attend G20 meeting in Bali
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov joined their colleagues for the start of day-long talks, with Washington seeking to gain support from the world's top economies to pressure Moscow over the invasion of its neighbour.
"It clearly cannot be business as usual when it comes to Russia's involvement and engagement in enterprises like the G20," a senior US official said ahead of the meeting.
In comments to open the meeting on the resort island of Bali, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi directly addressed the war.
"It is our responsibility to end the war sooner than later and settle our differences at the negotiating table, not the battlefield," Marsudi said, with Lavrov in the room.
While in Bali, Blinken will also seek to reopen dialogue with Beijing in talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the first in months after tensions strained over issues including Taiwan.
But Blinken is expected to shun a direct meeting with Lavrov, instead pointing the finger at Moscow for triggering global food and energy crises.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP and REUTERS)
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