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Divided G20 avoids condemning Russia for Ukraine war, calls for peace

Summit's final statement discussed global impacts, urged peace without condemning Russia's Ukraine actions.
Divided G20 avoids condemning Russia for Ukraine war, calls for peace
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The G20 leaders have adopted a joint declaration after days of intense negotiations, despite fears that differences over the mention of the war in Ukraine could jeopardize the discussions.

Indian officials are hailing the consensus as a major diplomatic win.

India's G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, says fierce debates about the paragraphs on the war in Ukraine lasted for days.

Kant credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for breaking the deadlock, and it is now being hailed as a sign of India's growing clout on the international stage.

Russia and China have voiced objections to the proposed language by Western nations regarding the situation in Ukraine.

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The final declaration, released a day before the summit's end, discussed the global economic and food security impacts of the war, it also called for states to avoid using force in territorial disputes but did not explicitly condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine. This consensus is perhaps one of the reasons why all 83 paragraphs in this document were accepted by all the members.

The G20 hasn't issued a joint declaration since India took over the presidency. However, they've found common ground on economic challenges. 

India, as the host, emphasized developing world issues, leading to a G20 statement focused on fair funding and global financial institution reforms for these nations.

A significant development is the proposal to increase the World Bank's lending limit. It's awaiting approval from various stakeholders, and if it goes through, it's an important move for the G7 nations. India sees it as a way to counter China's economic influence in poorer countries, with the U.S. taking the lead on this.

The G20 countries committed to doing more to address climate change, acknowledging that developing nations require about $6 trillion to achieve their green energy goals. 

India's G20 leadership was evident in the joint declaration, emphasizing economic matters rather than geopolitical ones, with many seeing it as a successful year.


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