Indonesia has invited both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to attend the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Bali, a move that analysts said could provide a “golden opportunity” for the host of the economic forum to play its role as a middle power.

Indonesia, which holds the G20 presidency this year, has been under heavy pressure from the West, led by the United States, to exclude Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, but Jakarta has argued it must remain "impartial".

The government has been mulling over a more grounded alternative by inviting Zelensky to the summit, in the hope this would appease proponents of Ukraine – a non-member of the G20 – and Russia and limit any distraction from the forum’s priority agenda items.

Fitriani, a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said that Indonesia’s invitation to Ukraine was a “brilliant move” as it provides opportunities for the latter to attend side meetings with other countries that are present.

“Thus Indonesia can kill two birds at once. First, by carrying out its free and active foreign policy and, second, Indonesia can escape the pressures of big pro-Ukrainian countries – especially the G7 nations,” Fitriani said on Wednesday.

Indonesia holds the presidency this year and will host a finance meeting in July followed by a leaders summit in November. Ukraine is not a member of the forum, but Russia is.

Read also: US frowns on Indonesia's invite to Putin for G20 summit

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