RUSSIA
Yury Ushakov – aide to the Russian president
Vladimir Putin plans to attend the G20 summit in Indonesia in November, Politico reported citing an aide to the Russian president. Putin’s participation — either in person or via video link — is “envisaged” at the meeting, said aide Yury Ushakov, according to Interfax. “They are still inviting in person. There is still a lot of time. I hope that the pandemic will allow this event to be held in person,” he added.
IRAN
Nasser Kanani – Iranian Foreign Ministry representative
Kanani told IRNA News on Monday that Iran nuclear deal talks will resume on Tuesday in Doha. “In the framework of the agreements reached during the visit of Joseph Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Coordination of the Joint Commission to Tehran, to continue negotiations on lifting sanctions, Ali Bagheri, the political deputy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (…) will leave for Doha tomorrow,” he noted.
EU
Josep Borrell – European Union’s foreign affairs chief
Borrell said in a blog post on Monday that the best answer to the disputes within the EU regarding the foreign policy matters would be to drop the unanimity rule in favor of a “constructive abstention.” He noted that “the [European] Council rarely ever adopts decisions by a vote. The ethos of the club – as the historical record shows – is to keep talking until a consensus is formed. But if the threat of casting a veto is not there, every member state, big or small, has to negotiate. And they do – and that makes all the difference.”
