China spoke out on Wednesday against Russia’s exclusion from the upcoming G-20 summit, which Washington envisioned after the invasion of Ukraine.

“Russia is an important member country (of the G20), and no member has the right to expel another country,” Chinese diplomatic spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters.

Near the Kremlin, with which it shares hostility toward the United States, the Chinese regime has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Westerners are preparing to impose new sanctions on Russia, as they meet Thursday in Brussels in the framework of NATO, the Group of Seven and the European Union, a month after the day after the invasion of Ukraine.

Jake Sullivan, Joe Biden’s national security adviser, spoke on Tuesday about the possible exclusion of President Vladimir Putin from the G-20, whose next summit is scheduled to be held in Indonesia at the end of the year.

“On the issue of the G-20, I will say this simply: we believe that Russia cannot act as if nothing had happened in international institutions and in the international community,” Sullivan said.

Mr. Sullivan added, while US President Joe Biden is scheduled to participate in the Brussels meetings on Thursday, “but in terms of specific institutions and specific decisions, we would like to consult our allies, and consult with our partners in these institutions before making a decision.”