Indonesian President Joko Widodo to visit Ukraine and Russia amid ongoing war
Indonesian President Joko Widodo will visit Ukraine and Russia later this month, after attending the Group of Seven (G-7) Summit in Germany, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Wednesday (June 22).
Indonesia’s top diplomat said at a media conference that Widodo will hold talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Ukrainian capital Kiev before continuing his trip to Moscow where he will meet Russia President Vladimir Putin.
Describing the visits as ones carried out in “an abnormal situation”, Retno said that Widodo “opted to try to contribute and not to remain silent” amid the “complicated situation and complex problems” the world is facing.
He is the current president of the G-20 and member of the Champion Group of the Global Crisis Response Group formed by the United Nations Secretary-General.
“The president’s visit shows (his) concerns over humanity issues; (he) tries to contribute to tackling the food crisis caused by the war, whose impact is felt by all countries, especially developing and low-income countries, and upholds the spirit of peace,” Retno said.
She noted that Widodo is set to become the first Asian leader to visit both countries amid the ongoing war.
Meetings of the world’s 20 major economies this year have been clouded by the war in Ukraine, with Indonesia, as its current president, trying to seek a balance of interests among members, especially amid threats from some Western countries to boycott the summit and push to exclude Russia.
In April, Indonesia said it would also invite Zelensky to the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in Bali in November, but asserted that it would pull back its invitation to Putin.
Retno did not specify the exact date of the visits, but Russian news agency Tass earlier reported that Widodo was scheduled to meet Putin on June 30, citing Kremlin sources who said the Indonesian president’s visit will be “very important” and that it underlines the importance of Indonesia as Russia’s partner.
Widodo will attend a G-7 Summit to be held from June 26 to 28 before traveling to Kiev and Moscow and ending his overseas trip in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Indonesia is not a member of G-7, but is invited by the summit’s host Germany as one of the bloc’s partner countries along with Argentina, India, Senegal and South Africa. The G-7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES