Narendra Modi called for civility at the G20, but divisions between Russia and the West made it a tense affair

Mr Lavrov snuck out for a smoke break on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi.  (Reuters: Francis Mascarenhas)

During an unusually hot March day in New Delhi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov finished off a cigarette under the blazing sun outside meeting rooms at the G20. 

The media watching in the background did not know it at the time, but Mr Lavrov was about to have his first face-to-face talk with US counterpart Antony Blinken since his government invaded Ukraine.