Putin to leave G20 summit early after Western leaders blast him over Ukraine crisis
Obama leads criticism at G20 summit; Russian president is put on outer edge of official photo
Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to leave the Group of 20 summit early, a member of his delegation said, after Western leaders yesterday blasted Moscow for the crisis in Ukraine and threatened more sanctions.
The Russian official said Putin planned to bring forward his departure from the two-day summit in Brisbane, Australia, today because he needed to attend meetings back in Moscow.
"[Putin's] programme for the second day is changing, it's being cut short," the official said, adding that the Russian president would attend summit sessions but skip an official lunch.
"Lunch is more of an entertainment," he said.
Russia denied it was involved in a recent escalation of military activity in Ukraine, where fighting has claimed more than 4,000 lives, but faced strong rebukes from Western leaders, including US President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
"I guess I'll shake your hand but I have only one thing to say to you: You need to get out of Ukraine," Harper told Putin at the summit. Putin's response was not positive, Harper's spokesman said, without elaborating.