Leaders of the G20 have brought their two-day summit to a close. The Russia-Ukraine war was discussed extensively over the summit.
The summit’s closing statement was notable because world leaders managed to highlight an outright condemnation of the war despite the divisions among the group. This includes not only Russia but also countries such as China and India that have significant trade ties with Russia
“Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed that it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy,” the statement revealed.
The use of the words “most members” was a clear indicator of the division among the G20 members.
The 16-page statement also expressed deep concern on an array of issues, including the food and energy crises that have been worsened by the war in Ukraine.
The circumspect diction of the final G20 statement reflected tensions at the gathering and the challenge faced by the United States and its allies as they try to isolate Putin’s government.
A number of G20 members, including host Indonesia, are cautious of becoming entangled in disputes between the bigger powers.
Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, intimated that the portion of the declaration dealing with the war was the most contentious part of the negotiations and that discussions were “very, very tough.”
The outcome of the deliberations was seen by some as a strong rebuke of a war that has killed thousands, heightened global security tensions, and disturbed the world economy.
China’s support for a public statement that criticized Russia surprised some delegates. An analyst proposed that Beijing likely did so because Chinese President, Xi Jinping “doesn’t want to back a loser” after Russia’s defeat in the Ukrainian city of Kherson.
“He knows he needs G20 cooperation to address the many growing vulnerabilities that China now confronts, from climate change to the pandemic, to the nation’s financial fragility of its over-leveraged housing and property markets,” he added.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who led the Russian delegation in Putin’s stead, rejected the group’s attempt to blame Russia.
Future Of The Black Sea Grain Initiative
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was struck in July between the United Nations and Russia. The deal allowed major grain producer, Ukraine to resume exports from ports that had been largely blocked because of the war.
According to the UN, 10 million tonnes of grain and other food have been exported since the deal began, preventing a global food crisis but the deal expires on November 19, 2022.
The leaders disclosed that amid food shortages and rising prices they will take “urgent actions to save lives, prevent hunger and malnutrition, particularly to address the vulnerabilities of developing countries.”
Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, expressed hope that this crucial deal to export Ukrainian grain would be extended before it expires.
“As of now, I am of the opinion that the (grain agreement) will continue,” Erdogan opined. “As soon as we return, we will continue our talks, especially with Mr. Putin. Because the way to peace is through dialogue,” he added.
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