Reports of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov 'taken to hospital' denied by Moscow

Sergei Lavrov has reportedly been taken to hospital. Credit: AP

Moscow has rubbished claims made by Indonesian authorities that foreign minister Sergei Lavrov had been taken to hospital after suffering from an apparent heart problem.

Three Indonesian government and medical officials have told The Associated Press that the Russian diplomat is being treated on the resort island - after arriving to attend the G-20 summit.

Each of the officials declined to be identified as they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.

Two of the people said Mr Lavrov was being treated for a heart condition.

The officials said he was taken to Sanglah Hospital in the provincial capital, Denpasar, although the hospital did not immediately comment.

Sunak to become first Brit PM to meet Russia since war began - what will he say?
'Kherson is my home': Ukrainian soldiers welcomed as heroes in liberated city

Russia, however, has denied the reports as "fake news."

In a Telegram post, the director of information and press department for the ministry, Maria Zakharov said: "It turns out that he was hospitalised. This is, of course, the aerobatics of fakes. Well, wait, world exclusive."Mr Lavrov is the highest-ranking Russian official attending the G-20 summit that is scheduled to start on Tuesday.

ITV News Europe Editor James Mates reports as leaders arrive for the G-20 summit.

Rishi Sunak to "unequivocally condemn" Russia

At the G-20 summit in Bali on Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was asked what he would do when he came face to face with Mr Lavrov.

Sunak said: "I'm going to take the opportunity to unequivocally condemn the Russian state and Putin for their abhorrent and illegal war and that's what I plan to do. 

"And that's what I believe our allies will also do."

Rishi Sunak spoke to reporters while on the plane to Bali. Credit: PA

He continued: "It's telling that Putin is not there. Russia is becoming a pariah state and he's not there to take responsibility for what he's doing.

"But I'm going to use the opportunity to put on the record my condemnation of what they're doing.

"I will do that in the hall, I will do that if I see him elsewhere and that's the right thing to do. 

“That is the context I think that the Autumn Statement should be seen in.

"There are global challenges going on, inflation is a global phenomenon.

Mr Strelkov called Vladimir Putin a 'nonentity'. Credit: AP

"There is a shared desire to ensure that financial and economic systems that are resilient.

"We are doing that at home and that is what the chancellor will do with the economic statement. 

“I think second thing is that obviously the person who's not there is Putin.

"It demonstrates a lack of responsibility for what he's doing.

"This for me is an opportunity to unequivocally condemn Russia, for their aggressive and illegal actions in Ukraine and work with our allies to do that. And that this is the opportunity that summit presents us take advantage of that."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.