Lavrov leaves G20 talks early after denying Russia is causing food crisis

Russian foreign minister accuses the west of frenzied criticism over his country's invasion of Ukraine

• Russia-Ukraine war: latest updates

The Russian foreign minister left the G20 meeting of leading economies early after telling his counterparts that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was not responsible for a global hunger crisis and that sanctions designed to isolate Russia amounted to a declaration of war.

The gathering on Friday was Sergei Lavrov's first direct confrontation with leaders from the west since Russia mounted its attack on Ukraine, and he accused the west of frenzied criticism of what he claimed were Moscow's justified actions.