The Weakness Behind China’s Strong Façade
Foreign AffairsAPR 2023
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
Putin's decision not to attend the G20 summit underscores his increasing isolation amid his unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. Likely scared to face Western leaders, Putin — who would have had nothing productive to contribute — preferred to evade this uncomfortable reality.
Pro-Russia narrative
Washington and its allies have already hijacked previous G20 meetings to claim a moral high ground over Russia and denounce it for the Ukraine war — and this summit won't be any different. Given Washington's hypocrisy and the West's lack of interest in using the G20 to discuss the world's many current problems in a cooperative spirit, Putin's decision not to attend is perfectly understandable.