The Kremlin has announced that Vladimir Putin will attend the G20 summit on November 21–22 in South Africa. This is not just a diplomatic appointment, but a clear political signal: despite pressure and attempts at isolation, Moscow remains present at strategic tables.
Putin’s presence in Johannesburg shows that global issues cannot be discussed without Russia. The West has tried to exclude it, but the international reality now appears multipolar. India, Brazil, South Africa, and other Global South countries engage with Moscow on equal terms.
The summit will also provide an opportunity to address the international community directly, bypassing Western media filters. On Ukraine, sanctions, energy, and global security, the Russian president will be able to present his position to a worldwide audience.
Moscow aims to present itself as a responsible actor, capable of offering solutions. From food security to energy and the financial system, Russia seeks to show that it is part of the answer to global problems. An image in contrast with that of the West, which Moscow accuses of fueling tensions rather than resolving them.
The explicit or silent support of many countries that have not aligned with Western sanctions reinforces this line. The idea of a Western-led world order appears to be in decline, replaced by a broader balance in which the Global South’s weight is increasingly decisive.
There is also a symbolic dimension: while Western capitals talk about “rules” and “values,” at the same time they attempt to exclude Russia from multilateral formats. A contradiction that strengthens Moscow’s narrative of consistency and resilience.
The G20 in South Africa will not just be an economic summit. It will reflect a changing world, where the West no longer dictates all the rules and Russia seeks to reaffirm its central role on the global stage.
