Anthony Albanese to attend G20 despite Vladimir Putin’s presence

Anthony Albanese signals Australia will attend the summit in Indonesia but admits leaders will feel uncomfortable sitting at the table with Putin.

Anthony Albanese speaks to reporters. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Anthony Albanese has signalled that Australia will attend the G20 summit in Indonesia later this year despite the likely attendance of Vladimir Putin, acknowledging that leaders will feel uncomfortable sitting around the table with the Russian autocrat.

Ahead of flying out to Jakarta this afternoon for his first leader to leader meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the prime minister welcomed the fact Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy had been invited to observe the meeting as well by video-link.

“We respect the fact that the presidency of the G20 is so important for Indonesia and important for President Widodo,” Mr Albanese said.

“Of course it’s the case that people who respect human rights would feel uncomfortable with sitting around the table with Vladimir Putin.

“Vladimir Putin, of course, attended the G20 meeting in Australia after the downing of the airline that led to – that resulted in the death of so many Australians and other international citizens. We have no time for what Vladimir Putin has done in Ukraine. We’ve made our position very, very clear on that and we’ll continue to do so.”

Mr Albanese will lead a high level business and industry delegation to Jakarta including the heads of BlueScope Steel, Commonwealth Bank and Telstra after claiming he wanted to boost Australia’s trade and investment with Indonesia.

He has said he wanted to deepen Australia’s ties in the south-east Asian region.

The high level business and trade delegation will include the Bluescope boss Mark Vassella, Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn, Telstra CEO Andrew Penn, Fortescue Metals Group deputy chair Mark Barnaba, Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins and Wesfarmers boss Rob Scott.

They will be joined by the Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott and chair Warwick Smith, Sun Cable CEO David Griffin, Monash University vice chancellor Margaret Gardner and Austrade CEO Xavier Simonet.

“My Government is determined to have better relations across the Indo-Pacific region,” Mr Albanese said before departing from Perth.

“That’s why you’ve seen us, very early on, have two visits from Foreign Minister Wong into the Pacific.

“That’s why I not only attended the Quad leaders’ meeting on the day that we were sworn in as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, with Foreign Minister Wong, why this early visit with a very high-level delegation from Australia indicates to our Indonesian friends the importance that we place on that relationship.”

Mr Albanese has said boosting trade and investment with Indonesia will be at the top of his agenda on the two day trip.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Trade Minister Don Farrell, Industry Minister Ed Husic and Northern Territory MP Luke Gosling.

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