'Putin again failed to show up for G20, but we'll show up with support for Ukraine': Rishi Sunak ahead of India visit

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak landed in New Delhi on Friday for the G20 Summit. Ahead of his maiden visit to India after assuming office last year, UK Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) released a poster showing their PM with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and had “Global Food Security” written on it, highlighting London’s focus at the Delhi summit.

Re-posting the poster shared by his office on X (previously Twitter), Sunak said: “I’m heading to the G20 Summit with a clear focus. Stabilising the global economy. Building international relationships. Supporting the most vulnerable. This action is part of that — Putin has again failed to show up for the G20, but we will show up with support for Ukraine.”

I’m heading to the #G20 Summit with a clear focus.

Stabilising the global economy. Building international relationships. Supporting the most vulnerable.

This action is part of that – Putin again has failed to show up for the G20, but we will show up with support for Ukraine. https://t.co/tLG19ILDLr

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) September 8, 2023

What will Sunak discuss with PM Modi at G20 Summit?

The Russia-Ukraine war has been flagged as a key topic on the agenda for the UK during the G20 Summit discussions, with Downing Street saying India’s role and influence is “vital”.

"Once again, Vladimir Putin is failing to show his face at the G20. He is the architect of his own diplomatic exile, isolating himself in his presidential palace and blocking out criticism and reality. The rest of the G20, meanwhile, are demonstrating that we will turn up and work together to pick up the pieces of Putin's destruction," the 43-year-old British Indian leader told reporters in a huddle on his flight to New Delhi.

His Downing Street spokesperson said the UK will use “every opportunity” to show its support for Ukraine and further foster global support as well.

“India has a vital role to play as the world's largest democracy in calling out Russia's assault on human rights and indeed democracy itself. We will use meetings with Modi or elsewhere to encourage them to use that influence to bring an end to Putin's brutal invasion," Sunak’s spokesperson said.

During PM Modi-Sunak bilateral discussions, the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations are highly likely to feature. Around 12 rounds of negotiations have been completed, but with no set timeframe for its conclusion.

Separately, Downing Street has indicated that there will be no changes to the UK immigration policy as part of the deal, though short-term business visas are up for discussion as part of the trade talks.Official UK government statistics peg the India-UK bilateral trade relationship as worth around GBP 36 billion in 2022, expected to be significantly enhanced with what both sides have branded as a deep and forward-looking FTA.

PM Modi and Sunak last met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May. A month later, during UK-India Week in London, Sunak had said he “can’t wait” to meet his Indian counterpart again.

“Prime Minister Modiji and I agree there’s huge potential here. We’re making great progress together on the 2030 Roadmap and we want to strike a truly ambitious trade deal that benefits both our nations, bringing tremendous opportunities to businesses and consumers, both in India and here at home,” Sunak said at the time.

With inputs from PTI