Putin Appoints Russia’s G20 Sherpa Ahead of 2026 Summit

Denis Agafonov, head of the Expert Directorate of the President of Russia, has been appointed as the country's sherpa to the G20. President Vladimir Putin signed the corresponding decree.

Photo: kremlin.ru by Пресс-служба Президента Российской Федерации, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

G20 summit

"Approve D. V. Agafonov, head of the Expert Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation, as the representative of the President of the Russian Federation for affairs of the group of leading industrial states and for relations with representatives of leaders of countries that are members of the "Group of Twenty,' as the Russian sherpa," the document states.

Key Role in Global Summit Preparation

A sherpa serves as an authorized representative of a head of state or government, responsible for preparing major international summits and coordinating negotiations in advance.

Since 2013, this role had been held by Svetlana Lukash, deputy head of the Expert Directorate of the President.

Agafonov's Background and Experience

Denis Agafonov has led the Expert Directorate since July 2024. Before that, he served as deputy head of the Presidential Directorate for Foreign Policy.

The Expert Directorate provides analytical and expert support for the president's constitutional powers, preparing reports, assessments, and policy analyses for both the president and the head of the presidential administration.

G20 Summit in the United States on the Horizon

Earlier, on April 23, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin confirmed that Moscow had received an invitation to participate in the G20 summit in the United States at the highest level.

The meeting of G20 leaders is scheduled for December 2026 in Miami. On March 11, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that a visit by President Vladimir Putin to the summit in the United States "is not under consideration.”