The G20 has nothing to do with the United States’ defense budget and no one can exclude Moscow from the group, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Thursday.

“Over the recent years, the defense budget has turned into a Christmas tree for US lawmakers, if we use the Anglo-Saxon term, so they are decorated with knick-knacks that they hold dear and are the focus of certain groups of legislators. What the G20’s activities have to do with the US defense budget is only clear to those who decorate the defense budget with additional bells and whistles. No one can exclude Russia from the Group of Twenty,” he pointed out.

Ryabkov emphasized that the recent G20 summit in Indonesia had made it clear that the majority of the international community listened to Moscow’s approaches and positions, while “the Americans, obsessed with the idea of isolating Russia, as well as their vassals, continue to sing the same old song at all platforms.” The diplomat also expressed confidence that “the plans [to expel Russia from the G20] will fail, along with many other things in the series that have happened so far.”

The United States’ defense budget for the 2023 fiscal year, agreed on by both chambers of the US Congress, allocates $6 bln for the European Deterrence Initiative aimed against Russia. The document also bans defense cooperation with Moscow for another five years and imposes sanctions on gold operations with Russia. In addition, Washington plans to seek Russia’s removal from a number of international organizations, including the G20.

Source: TASS News Agency