Russia denies report of Lavrov being taken to hospital at G20

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Monday denied the media reports of taking Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to hospital with a heart condition and called it the "height of fakery," several media reported.

Earlier, Associated Press, citing Indonesian officials, said that the Russian Foreign Minister has been taken to hospital after arriving in Indonesia. Soon after this report, Zakharova denied the report and said, "This, of course, is the height of fakery," according to Arab News.

Zakharova posted a video of Lavrov sitting outdoors on a patio, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt and reading documents.

Asked about the report, Lavrov said Western journalists had been writing falsely for a decade that Putin was ill.

"This is a kind of game that is not new in politics," Lavrov, 72, said with an ironic smile. "Western journalists need to be more truthful -- they need to write the truth."

After this news, Bali's Governor, I Wayan Koster, said that Lavrov was in good health and had been in the hospital for a check-up, Arab News reported.

Earlier, Indonesian authorities, on Monday said that the Russian official has been taken to the hospital after suffering a health problem following his arrival for the Group of 20 summits in Bali.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending in person the summit of leaders from the Group of 20 nations (G20) in Bali next week, CNN reported citing the Russian embassy in Indonesia.

Yulia Tomskaya, the chief of protocol at the embassy said that Putin is still making a decision on whether he will participate in one of the meetings virtually. Western nations and Ukraine have pressurised Indonesia, which is the G20 host, to condemn Moscow for its actions and withdraw its invitation to Putin. However, Jakarta has resisted the pressure and intended to take a neutral position. Earlier in March, US President Joe Biden called for the expulsion of Russia from the G20, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, Indonesia has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the summit as a guest. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine will not attend the G20 summit if Putin participates in the meeting. As per the CNN report, the Ukrainian leader is expected to attend the meetings virtually. Notably, the 17th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will take place on November 15-November 16 in Bali. Under the Indonesian Presidency, the G20 in 2022 will focus on the theme, 'Recover Together, Recover Stronger.'

It is pertinent to note here that India will assume the Presidency of the Group of Twenty (or G20) for one year from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the logo, theme and website of India's G20 Presidency via video conferencing on November 9. Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said India will preside over the G20 summit from December 1 and called it a great occasion for the nation.

( With inputs from ANI )

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