Indonesian officials: Russian FM Lavrov taken to hospital

By NINIEK KARMINI
Associated Press

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was taken to the hospital after suffering a health problem following his arrival for the Group of 20 summit in Bali, multiple Indonesian authorities said Monday.

Russia’s top diplomat arrived on the resort island the previous evening ahead of the meeting, which begins Tuesday.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova later denied that Lavrov had been hospitalized but did not address whether he had received treatment.

She posted a video of Lavrov, looking healthy in a T-shirt and shorts, in which he was asked to comment on the report of his treatment.

“They’ve been writing about our president for 10 years that he’s fallen ill. It’s a game that is not new in politics,” Lavrov says in the video.

Russia’s state news agency Tass cited Lavrov as saying, “I’m in the hotel, reading materials for the summit tomorrow.”

Lavrov is the highest-ranking Russian official at the gathering, which U.S. President Joe Biden, China’s Xi Jinping and other leaders are attending.

Four Indonesian government and medical officials told The Associated Press that Lavrov was receiving treatment at the Sanglah Hospital in the provincial capital, Denpasar.

All of the officials declined to be identified as they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The hospital did not immediately comment.

Two of the people said Lavrov had been treated for a heart condition.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attendance at the G-20 had been uncertain until last week, when officials confirmed he would not come and that Russia would be represented by Lavrov instead.

Fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to be among the issues discussed at the two-day G-20 meeting, which brings together officials from countries representing more than 80% of the world’s economic output.