With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine entering its ninth week and with global tensions escalating, Indonesia has faced growing calls to invite Zelensky to at least some of the meetings under its G20 presidency after the United States and its allies failed to force Moscow out of the economic forum.

When asked about Zelensky’s invitation to the summit, Foreign Ministry senior adviser and G20 co-sherpa Dian Triansyah Djani referred to the Presidential Palace for comment, while also suggesting that G20 member states should not lose sight of substantive discussions.

“What is certain is that Indonesia has invited Ukraine’s finance minister to the [G20] Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Washington [in the US]. As regards an invitation to the summit, that will be communicated by the Palace,” he said at a press briefing.

Triansyah confirmed that the President had been in touch with Zelensky on Wednesday.

The Presidential Palace and the State Secretary's office did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation, although government sources believe Jokowi might address the issue himself at a later date.

Early on Thursday, Jokowi said he had offered Indonesia’s support for Ukraine during the phone call, but made no mention of inviting Zelensky to the summit in November.

As the current president of the G20, Indonesia has sought to remain neutral on the matter, refusing to join concerted efforts to punish Russia beyond condemning its outright disrespect for Ukrainian sovereignty.

“Yesterday I spoke to President @ZelenskyyUa of Ukraine. I reiterated Indonesia’s support for any efforts for peace negotiations to succeed and stand ready to provide humanitarian assistance,” Jokowi tweeted.

Previously, Zelensky himself took to Twitter after the call to express his thanks for Indonesia’s support for Ukrainian sovereignty. Indonesia recently voted in favor of a United Nations resolution demanding Russia end all hostilities.

The Ukrainian president, who has sought to amplify his emotional pleas for support using various means, from social media to internationally acclaimed awards shows, made bare mention of the invitation from Jokowi.

“Had talks with President [of Indonesia] @jokowi. Thanked for the support for [Ukrainian] sovereignty and territorial integrity, in particular for a clear position in the UN. Food security issues were discussed. Appreciate inviting me to the @g20org summit,” Zelensky posted on Twitter.

He did not confirm whether he had accepted the invitation, or if he would attend the Bali conference in person.

The US and other members of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations – a subset within the G20 – have been putting pressure on the forum to revoke Moscow’s membership.

But US President Joe Biden suggested in March that Ukraine should be invited to attend if Indonesia and the other G20 members refused to act against Russia.

At the time, Indonesia was already in contact with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia has said that President Vladimir Putin would be accepting Indonesia’s invitation to the summit.

Deep divisions within the G20 were on full display during the annual World Bank and International Monetary Fund gatherings in Washington last week, which also featured a G20 finance ministers and central bank governors event.

Top finance officials from the US, the United kingdom and Canada, along with Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko, staged a walk out from the G20 meeting just as a Russian representative began speaking, while many other G20 members spoke to condemn Moscow’s war.

Afterward, meeting chair Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the protest was “not a total surprise”, and that she was confident that differences over the war would not hinder G20 cooperation.

Meanwhile, Triansyah said Indonesia would continue to maintain contact with Ukraine and the G20 members to address the impact of the war on the global economy.

“Every delegation of a sovereign country will be able to convey their views as they wish. But we urge that we do not lose sight [of] discussing substantive issues,” he said.

Hikmahanto Juwana, an international law professor at the University of Indonesia, said that inviting Ukraine would be a compromise for the US, its allies and Russia, which he all accused of using the G20 forum to sow divisions.

“In return, Indonesia as president can ask for guarantees from the US and its allies not to boycott the summit if Russia attends,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Jokowi’s right-hand man, Luhut Pandjaitan, is currently in the US, reportedly to mollify these concerns. A spokesman for the senior minister was not immediately available for comment