Russia-Ukraine peace talks unlikely at next week's G20 summit, says Germany

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) – Russia-Ukraine peace talks are unlikely at next week’s summit of G20 leaders in the Indonesian resort town of Bali, according to high-ranking German government officials.

“I don’t think that the rather crowded G20 (meeting) is necessarily suitable for any peace talks, and I think we’re a long way from that as far as the matter is concerned,” a top German government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told journalists in Berlin on Wednesday.

The official said there are currently no signs of “any willingness” on Russia’s part.

“It is an important signal that (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy is ready for a just peace,” he added, referring to recent US media reports that Zelenskyy has dropped the demand for Putin’s removal for peace talks to begin.

Another official, who also requested anonymity, said it was still not certain whether Putin would even attend the G20 summit on Nov. 15-16.

He said discussions in Bali would focus on the Ukraine war and the global food security and energy crises.