UK’s Sunak Calls Russia ‘Rogue State,’ Urges G-20 Leaders to ‘Prise Open’ Putin’s Grip on Global Economy

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is welcomed at the Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport upon his arrival for the G-20 meeting, in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 14, 2022. Leon Neal - Pool/Getty Images

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called Russia a “rogue state” and has called on G-20 leaders to “prise open” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s grip on the world economy.

Sunak arrived in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 14 for the gathering of the leaders of the world’s biggest economies, in one of his first outings on the global stage since taking office last month.

Putin, who has faced condemnation from Western leaders over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is expected to skip the event and send his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov instead.

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov attends a meeting with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Aug. 4, 2022. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via Reuters

Writing in The Telegraph, the prime minister said, “The man who is responsible for so much bloodshed in Ukraine and economic strife around the world will not be there to face his peers.”

He added, “We will not let our economic future be held hostage by the actions of a rogue state—and nor will our allies.”

‘Collective Economic Security’

Sunak said the war in Ukraine is “fuelling the challenges facing countries across the world” and “every household on the planet is feeling the fallout” of the conflict.

He said: “Global food prices have been hit by Vladimir Putin’s attempts to choke off Ukrainian grain exports—two-thirds of which go to developing countries. Energy bills have skyrocketed thanks to Russia turning off the gas taps.”

Sunak said he will call on G-20 leaders for “coordinated global action” to strengthen “collective economic security.”

“Russia is trying to asphyxiate the global economy. We must join together to stop them in their tracks and restore economic stability,” he said.

Food and Energy

The prime minister stressed the need to “put an end to Russia’s appalling weaponisation of food.”

He said he is “supporting the UN secretary-general to keep grain shipments moving in the Black Sea and urging all those countries who can produce more food or release stockpiles to do so, in order to help increase supply.”

Sunak also called for “urgent action” to secure global supply chains and transition from dependence on energy from countries like Russia.

He also said it is necessary to call out “those who exploit their lending power to create debt traps in emerging economies,” in an apparent reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, though he did not mention China by name.

Supporting Ukraine

Sunak pledged to continue training Ukrainian troops and providing defensive military equipment to help the country fend off the Russian invasion.

The UK has been the largest European military donor to Ukraine, delivering £2.3 billion ($2.7 billion) of support this year.

Ahead of the trip, the prime minister’s official spokesman said, “We will absolutely use every opportunity to confront Russia about their continued illegal actions.”

He said the UK will speak with its allies “in one voice” on this issue.

PA Media contributed to this report.