Australia says Russia ‘responsible’ for global problems

Nusa Dua, Indonesia, Jul 8 (EFE).- Australia’s foreign minister said Friday that Russia was “responsible” for the suffering caused to the people of Ukraine as well as for the global problems arising from its invasion of the country.

“Russia alone is responsible for its actions and for the consequences of those actions including the human and economic suffering that it is causing,” Penny Wong said in Bali, before participating in the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting.

Wong said she hoped the G20 meeting, which will be attended by her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, would be an opportunity to “continue to place pressure on Russia.” She said this in a view toward ending the war and reestablishing the international rule of law and “navigating the challenges” the international community faces.

These include “critical issues” such as food and energy security, as well as multilateralism, whose principles have been “threatened by Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” Wong added.

The minister spoke of her upcoming meeting Friday night with Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the summit.

“We believe it is in the interests of both nations for the relationship to be stabilized,” Wong said concerning China, Australia’s biggest trading partner.

“We all know we have our differences,” she added, insisting that Canberra will prioritize its “national interests” during the meeting and do so “calmly and consistently, diplomatically and directly.”

This will be the second high-ranking meeting between representatives of Beijing and Canberra since diplomatic relations between the two nations began deteriorating years ago over several points of friction. EFE

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