Training Ukrainian troops makes France direct participant in combat, says Russian FM Lavrov The fact that #Paris is training #Ukrainian soldiers at a military base in France means it is directly involved in the conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference after taking part in the #G20 summit. "[French President Emmanuel] Macron has been one of the most vocal and biggest material supporters of the war, advocating for victory over Russia, for Russia’s strategic defeat. Ukrainian servicemen are currently completing their training in France, an entire assault shock brigade is being prepared. In essence, they are directly participating in the combat," the top Russian diplomat pointed out. "The same goes for talk about using French-made SCALP missiles [in Ukraine] which are identical to the UK’s Storm Shadow," Lavrov added.

G20 leaders adopt Rio de Janeiro Summit Declaration The #G20 leaders adopted the outcome declaration of the highest-level summit in Rio de Janeiro. "We, the Leaders of the G20, met in #Rio de Janeiro on 18-19 November 2024 to address major global challenges and crises and promote strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth," the document reads. The declaration does not contain any remarks that the statement was not approved by all countries. Earlier on Monday, the press office of Argentine President Javier Milei said that the president agreed to sign the G20 statement, but he would state his disagreement with a number of points - in particular the ones dealing with taxes, "legal inequality" and "restrictions for the freedom of expression on social media.".

Global economic activity remaining low, says IMF Midterm prospects of global economic growth and economic activity remain low, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its report, released before the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on February 28-29. "The global economy appears on track for a soft landing, but activity and growth prospects remain weak," IMF said. "Medium-term growth prospects remain subdued—reflecting secular trends and challenges including weak productivity growth, ageing, GeoEconomic fragmentation and climate vulnerabilities. These trends also undermine income convergence and increase the vulnerability of economies to external shocks," IMF experts added.

#Putin reveals truth kept back by Western elites in interview with #Carlson, says Russian FM #Lavrov Western elites met Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interview with U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson aggressively as it revealed the truth that they keep back from their voters, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "Remember how aggressively Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interview with Tucker Carlson, which revealed the truth that Western elites keep back from their voters, was met in the West," the minister said at a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro. In this context he noted that the West often employs double standards, hypocrisy and outright lies, sacrificing diplomatic methods of peaceful settlement of disputes to power struggle, 'hybrid wars,' total confrontation, the strive to inflict a strategic defeat to the opponent.