THE G20 Summit held in New Delhi concluded with a final declaration recognizing the lack of consensus among the world’s major economies regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hosted the summit, shared the news of the agreement on the final declaration with other world leaders.
The disagreement over the Ukrainian issue had been a significant stumbling block in the summit’s proceedings.
Western nations had pushed for a strong condemnation of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, but this stance faced resistance from other G20 member states.
In fact, the paragraph specifically addressing the “geopolitical situation” remained empty in the draft of the declaration until the last moment.
Despite the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit, the Western nations failed to sway the positions of the Global South countries regarding the Ukraine crisis.
A portion of the article also reaffirms that the G20 is not the platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues.
Although the bloc acknowledges that these issues can have significant consequences for the global economy.
“… While the G20 is not the platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues, we acknowledge that these issues can have significant consequences for the global economy,” G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration
The final declaration acknowledged the human suffering and negative impacts of the conflict on global food and energy security, supply chains, macro-financial stability, inflation, and economic growth.
It emphasized that developing countries, which had already been grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, were the most affected by the ongoing conflict.
However, the declaration also pointed out that G20 member nations held different views and assessments of the situation concerning the Ukraine conflict.
“We highlighted the human suffering and negative added impacts of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, supply chains, macro-financial stability, inflation, and growth, which has complicated the policy environment for countries, especially developing and least developed countries which are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic disruption which has derailed progress towards the SDGs. There were different views and assessments of the situation,” G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.
Despite these differences, World leaders pledged to come together to address the crisis’s impact on the global economy.
They also expressed their openness to supporting initiatives that promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine, aligning with the principles outlined in the United Nations Charter.
“All states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state.”
