Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov ‘taken to hospital at G20 summit’

The foreign minister is due to represent the Kremlin at the summit

Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov was taken to hospital due to a heart condition following his arrival for the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesian authorities said.

Three Indonesian government and medical officials said the Russian foreign minister was being treated on the resort island.

Two said Mr Lavrov was being seen for a heart condition.

The governor of Bali later said Mr Lavrov left the hospital following a “check-up” at the Sanglah hospital and he “immediately returned.”

However, Russia's foreign ministry immediately denied the reports on Mr Lavrov’s condition, call them “fake.”

“This, of course, is the height of fakery,” foreign ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Sergei Lavrov has appeared in a video apparently from his hotel room in Bali, after Moscow vehemently denied reports he has been in hospital.

Speaking with Russian news agency TASS, he said the reports were a “political game”.

It comes as Bali is set to host G20 nations for a summit where president Joe Biden will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping for the first time as the leaders of the world’s two largest economies hope to reach agreement on issues from macroeconomics, to tech and Taiwan.

Rishi Sunak said he will use the upcoming G20 summit to “call out Putin’s regime” over the devastation it is wreaking on Ukraine and the global economy with its invasion.

Sergei Lavrov arriving in Bali for the G20 summit (REUTERS)

The prime minister travelled to Bali, Indonesia, on Sunday to join other leaders of the world’s biggest economies.

Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has faced unanimous condemnation from Western leaders over the war, is expected to skip the event sending Mr Lavrov as his replacement.

The annual G20 leaders’ gatherings began in response to the 2008 financial crisis, establishing the summit as the main global forum for economic cooperation.

But Mr Sunak said this year’s meeting will not be “business as usual” as the world confronts the most significant set of economic challenges since then, caused or exacerbated by the actions of a G20 member state.

Sergei Lavrov posted a video apparently from his hotel in Bali after reports on his health (TASS)

The first summit since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February looks set to be dominated by the fallout from the conflict, which has driven up energy and food prices worldwide.

The presence of the Russian foreign minister at the summit stirred tensions among G20 leaders as the so-called family photo in which world leaders pose together at major international summits in a display of power and unity looks set to be scrapped.

Sergei Lavrov was taken to hospital after arriving in Bali (REUTERS)

In a sign of the geopolitical tensions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Indonesian hosts of next week’s G20 summit are understood to have scrapped the group photo opportunity.

The summit, which brings together the leaders of 19 nations and the European Union, is expected to be dominated by the conflict and its impact on the global economy, having fuelled shortages of energy and food.

Divisions deepened by Russia’s actions in Ukraine mean there is uncertainty over whether member states will be able to release a traditional joint statement at the end of the Bali summit.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is set to address the event virtually, although his country is not part of the grouping.