United States (US) President Joe Biden said on Thursday, 24 March, that Russia should be removed from the G20, an intergovernmental forum of 19 countries and the European Union that works on major global issues.
Biden was speaking at a press conference in Brussels, after a series of NATO meetings on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has now completed a month.
He said that he would prefer if Russia is removed from the group, but should Indonesia or other nations disagree, he would ask that Ukraine leaders be allowed in for conversations, news agency AP reported.
Replying to the same, Kremlin said on Friday that Russia's exclusion from G20 would not be 'fatal', AFP reported.
"When most of the participants in this format are in a state of economic war with us, nothing fatal will happen," Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
‘NATO Will Respond if Russia Uses Chemical Weapons’: Joe Biden
US and Western allies also pledged new sanctions against Russia on Thursday.
Biden has also said that NATO would continue to support Ukraine with security assistance to fight Russian aggression.
On being asked how US will respond if Russian President Vladimir Putin used a chemical weapon on Ukraine, Biden said that NATO would "respond".
"We will respond if he uses it. The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use," he was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
"NATO leaders met today in Brussels – one month since the start of Russia’s unprovoked & unjustified invasion of Ukraine. We'll continue to support Ukraine with security assistance to fight Russian aggression & uphold their right of self-defence," he said in a tweet.
Biden to Visit Polish Town
In a show of Western resolve against Putin, Biden on Friday will also visit a town in Poland, near the Ukrainian border, the White House has said.
He will be greeted by Polish President Andrzej Duda in Rzeszow, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Ukrainian border, the White House announced on Thursday, AFP reported.
Biden will also meet members of the US 82nd Airborne Division who are stationed in Poland.
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