September 11, 2023

Who's to Blame?


Who's to Blame?
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, at the G20 Summit in 2022. Wikimedia Commons.

The G20 group of states reaffirmed support for Ukraine's sovereignty but did not directly blame on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The joint statement released by the G20 summit in India says that all countries should “refrain from action against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state.” However, the joint declaration refrained from explicitly condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, unlike the G20 statement made in Bali last November.

“Bali was a year ago, the situation was different. Many things have happened since then,” said Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Some officials argue that this change was necessary to secure support from certain pro-Moscow associates, and in consideration of Russia's continued membership in the group.

In the 34-page document, Ukraine is mentioned five times, and Russia only three, and only in the context of a grain deal to ensure the export of essential goods elsewhere in the world.

“Today’s era must not be of war,” the statement says, “We will unite in our endeavour to address the adverse impact of the war on the global economy and welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine.”

While both China and Russia are in the G20, which is made up of the largest economies in the world, neither participated in this year's meeting.

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