President Jokowi to Attend G7 Summit, Meet Leaders of Russia, Ukraine
President Jokowi Thursday (06/16) welcomes President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java province. (Photo by: PR/Rahmat)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is slated to kick off overseas working visits at the end of June with countries to visit including Germany, Ukraine, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno LP Marsudi, the President’s visit to Germany is to fulfill Germany’s invitation as Chair of the G7 to attend the G7 Summit, which is set to take place on June 26-27, 2022.
“G-7 Partner Countries that have received the invitations to attend the G7 Summit are Indonesia, India, Senegal, Argentina, and South Africa,” Retno said in a statement, Wednesday (06/22).
The Minister also said that one of the issues to be discussed at the G7 Summit for Partner Countries is the food issue.
According to her, the issues of food, energy, and finance have recently been the global talk due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“COVID-19 impacts the global economy and amid the efforts to rebuild the economy, a war broke out in Ukraine. Even though the war is going on in Ukraine, its impacts are felt by the whole world. We all understand the positions of Ukraine and Russia in the global food and energy supply chain,” she said, adding that on the sidelines of the Summit, the President will also hold bilateral meetings with a number of leaders of the G7 countries and other invited countries.
“Requests for bilateral meetings have been accepted by the President and we will arrange them as far as they are feasible,” Retno said.
After Germany, Retno added, President Jokowi is also scheduled to visit Ukrainian capital of Kiev and the Russian capital of Moscow and the President is slated to hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Minister also underscored that the visits to the two countries will be carried out in an unusual circumstance.
“We understand that the current situation remains very complicated. The world also understands the complexity of the problems at hand. Even though the situation is difficult and the problems are complex, as President of the G20 and a member of the Champion Group of the Global Crisis Response Group formed by the UN Secretary-General, President Jokowi chooses to try to contribute. He did not choose to remain silent,” she said.
Retno added that the President’s visit to both countries was a form of concern for humanitarian issues and eagerness to promote peace.
“President Jokowi will be the first Asian leader to visit the two countries. This President’s visit shows concern for humanitarian issues as he tries to contribute to addressing the food crisis caused by the war and its impacts which are felt by all countries, especially developing countries and low-income countries, and he continues to promote the spirit of peace,” she said.
Following the visits to Ukraine and Russia, the President will also visit the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi.
“The visit [to UAE] is intended to follow up cooperation between the two countries in the economic field,” Retno remarked. (PR of Ministry of Foreign Affairs/JW/AIT/UN) (FI/EP)
