Anand says she confronted Lavrov at U.S.-hosted G20 foreign ministers meeting in Atlanta

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Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said she used a U.S.-hosted G20 meeting of foreign ministers in Atlanta to directly challenge Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov, even though she argued Russia should not have been present.

Anand said she was seated directly across from Lavrov at the meeting and told him that “Russia has committed horrific crimes in its war against Ukraine, including devastating global energy and food supply chains.” She said she also raised Russia’s kidnapping of Ukrainian children and attacks on vessels in the Black Sea.

The meeting included an unusual decision by U.S. hosts to cancel a traditional photo of all attendees after European diplomats objected to being pictured with Lavrov. Anand said she arrived after the “family photo” was set to occur and added, “I don’t want to have my picture taken with Sergei Lavrov, in any case.”

Anand said Lavrov responded to her remarks with Kremlin talking points, including that “We don’t use energy to settle political scores.” She said he also accused the European Union of “slavery and piracy” over its seizure of Russian vessels in the so-called shadow fleet.

Anand said maritime security and the impact of Black Sea shipping disruptions were among the major concerns for G20 countries. She said Russian strikes on Ukrainian grain vessels in the Black Sea have halted shipments that developing countries depend on for food, and she cited reduced shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in relation to tension involving the United States and Iran.

Anand said she encouraged G20 nations to find collective agreement on freedom of navigation and safe passage for ships carrying fertilizer in the Black Sea, adding that she believes those points are shared by G20 members except Lavrov.

She also said Canada opposes the U.S. excluding South Africa from G20 meetings it is hosting this year and argued that “South Africa should be present.” Anand said Canada shares South Africa’s interest in preserving an effective, inclusive and functioning G20 able to address global economic challenges.

Anand said she met with European Union officials in Montreal before the Atlanta meeting and described the period as “diplomacy in a very concentrated period of time.” She said she will travel to Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth summit, where Prime Minister Mark Carney will join starting Monday. She said Canada supports a Commonwealth mandate on democracy, including through the Commonwealth ministerial action group.