Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, the ongoing Ukraine war has dominated the agendas of major summits, including the upcoming G20 summit scheduled to be held in India in September. However, there have been obstacles due to disagreements over text related to the Ukraine war at all G20 ministerial meetings.
According to Hindustan Times, an India-based media outlet, consensus in outcome documents at G20 ministerial meetings hosted by India has been stalled due to disagreements over the wording concerning the Ukraine war. Negotiators are currently striving to find a compromise formulation that would be acceptable to all member states before the summit.
Reportedly, Moscow has distanced itself from any references to Ukraine in documents released after G20 ministerial meetings. Meanwhile, Brazil, the host for the G20 Summit in 2024, proposed a solution to end the deadlock, suggesting that the reference to Ukraine be suspended in the context of the leaders’ declaration adopted at the 2022 G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. However, this proposal did not gain much traction, and nothing has been finalized yet.
China has also raised objections, arguing that the G20 is not the appropriate forum to address security issues and opposing the inclusion of any “geopolitical content” in outcome documents.
The war in Ukraine has significant global economic implications, and some G20 members recently condemned Russia for quitting the Black Sea grain deal, which had allowed the safe export of grain from Ukraine and helped address food crises and inflationary trends resulting from supply shortages.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed that several G20 members expressed disapproval over Russia’s decision to quit the grain deal, stating that the suspension of grain shipment through the Black Sea should not have happened as it affects people in need everywhere. The United Nations-brokered deal expired on July 17 after Russia’s withdrawal, with the UN warning that it would have severe consequences for those in need.
In light of the significance of the Ukraine war’s impact on the global economy, discussions surrounding the conflict remain crucial for the G20 to maintain its credibility as an institution. However, finding common ground on the text related to Ukraine remains a challenge, with different member states holding diverse views on the matter.
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