Ahead of the G20 Summit next month in Bali, a senior Indonesian minister expressed his wish that the peaceful vibes of the Island of Gods can help bridge divides and find solutions to end current global conflicts, especially between Russia and Ukraine.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan said yesterday that he hopes the G20 Summit, scheduled for Nov. 15 and 16 in Nusa Dua, can help usher in peace between warring nations.
He added that President Joko Widodo can be the bridge for peace negotiations.
“Because world leaders will gather [at the summit] in a peaceful atmosphere, hopefully Ukraine and Russia can achieve peace,” Luhut said, adding that the US and China can also work out their differences when they meet at the summit.
Luhut did not confirm the attendance of President Vladimir Putin, President Joe Biden, President Xi Jinping and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the summit, but instead asked for everyone’s prayers so all would make an appearance for further peace discussions.
According to reports, both Putin and Biden have expressed their intention to attend the summit, while Zelenskyy is expected to attend remotely as a special invitee.
Indonesia, holding the G20 presidency for the first time, was criticized by some countries for extending invitations to Russia amid the invasion of Ukraine.
President Jokowi’s administration has been careful not to explicitly take sides in the conflict. In fact, he was the first Asian leader to meet with both Putin and Zelenskyy – albeit separately – since the conflict began earlier this year in an effort to start peace talks between the two countries.
“We believe that Bali has a peaceful aura. So I believe,” Luhut said, when asked whether the summit in Bali can be used as a platform for peace talks.
