NUSA DUA, Indonesia: President of Indonesia Joko Widodo on Tuesday urges G20 leaders to “end the war” as he opened a summit dominated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Washington and its allies putting pressure on Moscow.
“Responsibility means creating zero-sum situations, taking responsibility here also means we have to end war,” Mr. Widodo said.
The United States and its allies are seeking to blame painfully high global food and fuel prices on President Vladimir Putin‘s door during collection.
Eyeing a joint G20 statement that would condemn the eight-month invasion and threats to use nuclear weapons, US and European officials have seen the summit as proof of isolation. Russia’s deepening establishment.
“I think you’ll find most members of the G20 make it clear that they condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine,” a senior US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“Russia’s war of aggression is being condemned in the strongest possible terms,” the official said, adding that many “consider Russia’s war in Ukraine as the root source of the conflict.” great economic and humanitarian suffering in the world.”
It’s still far from clear that Russia’s G20 allies China, India and South Africa would agree to such explicit language condemning Putin’s war.
Such condemnation at the G20 would be a crushing diplomatic defeat for Moscow, which has always wanted to show its opposition to the conflict being dominated by the West.
There are signs that China is increasingly annoyed with Russia’s prosecution of the war even though presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden meet at the end of Monday.
The White House said both men spoke out against the “use or threat of use” of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
European Council President Charles Michel signaled that while a draft agreement has been agreed in principle, much work remains to be done.
“I fully believe that we should try to use today and tomorrow’s meeting to convince all parties to put more pressure on Russia,” he told the media as the summit opened. desert.
G20 leaders are gathering in Bali as soaring inflation plunges millions more into poverty and plunges several countries into recession.
US allies hope to find common ground with the G20 nations that, while cautious in condemning Russia, are deeply concerned about rising prices.
G20 members Argentina and Turkey are among the countries hardest hit by food inflation, while India and South Africa avoid criticizing Moscow.
Putin is skipping the summit after a string of embarrassing defeats on the battlefield in a war his supporters believe will be over in a few days.
Rubbing salt in the wound, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky – fresh from a visit to liberated Kherson – addressed the G20 leaders in a video message.
Russia is represented by Sergei Lavrov, although the veteran foreign minister had to go to two hospitals in Bali over the course of several days because of an undisclosed illness.
Moscow denied that the top diplomat was hospitalized.
Mr. Lavrov is not seen as part of Putin’s inner circle – meaning the chances of achieving a diplomatic breakthrough to end the war are slim.
In the absence of Zelensky and Putin, “there is little chance for any real peaceful diplomacy in Bali,” said Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group.
However, French President Emmanuel Macron kept an extended olive branch. He will call Putin after the G20 summit, according to a senior French official.
An agreement to allow Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea is likely to be another focus of the discussion.
It expires on November 19 and Russia has threatened to tear it up.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday said he “hopes” the agreement will be extended, calling it crucial for food security.
Ukraine is one of the world’s top grain producers and Russia’s invasion blocked 20 million tons of grain at its ports before the United Nations and Turkey brokered the deal. July.
“We need urgent action to stop hunger and hunger from increasing in many parts of the world,” Guterres said.
The summit building focused on Mr. Xi, who has made only his second overseas trip since the pandemic.
He met Tuesday with French President Emmanuel Macron and Australia’s Anthony Albanese, a day after his first presidential dialogue with Biden.
The pair cooled down their Cold War rhetoric during the three-hour summit as they tried to cool off the heat from their simmering superpower rivalry.
“The world expects that China and the United States will properly handle this relationship,” Xi told Biden.
Former US diplomat Danny Russel described the meeting as generally positive.
“We should be careful in declaring the strategic rivalry has ended too soon. However, we have seen a deliberate attempt to stabilize a relationship that is dangerously overheated.”
“Responsibility means creating zero-sum situations, taking responsibility here also means we have to end war,” Mr. Widodo said.
The United States and its allies are seeking to blame painfully high global food and fuel prices on President Vladimir Putin‘s door during collection.
Eyeing a joint G20 statement that would condemn the eight-month invasion and threats to use nuclear weapons, US and European officials have seen the summit as proof of isolation. Russia’s deepening establishment.
“I think you’ll find most members of the G20 make it clear that they condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine,” a senior US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“Russia’s war of aggression is being condemned in the strongest possible terms,” the official said, adding that many “consider Russia’s war in Ukraine as the root source of the conflict.” great economic and humanitarian suffering in the world.”
It’s still far from clear that Russia’s G20 allies China, India and South Africa would agree to such explicit language condemning Putin’s war.
Such condemnation at the G20 would be a crushing diplomatic defeat for Moscow, which has always wanted to show its opposition to the conflict being dominated by the West.
There are signs that China is increasingly annoyed with Russia’s prosecution of the war even though presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden meet at the end of Monday.
The White House said both men spoke out against the “use or threat of use” of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
European Council President Charles Michel signaled that while a draft agreement has been agreed in principle, much work remains to be done.
“I fully believe that we should try to use today and tomorrow’s meeting to convince all parties to put more pressure on Russia,” he told the media as the summit opened. desert.
G20 leaders are gathering in Bali as soaring inflation plunges millions more into poverty and plunges several countries into recession.
US allies hope to find common ground with the G20 nations that, while cautious in condemning Russia, are deeply concerned about rising prices.
G20 members Argentina and Turkey are among the countries hardest hit by food inflation, while India and South Africa avoid criticizing Moscow.
Putin is skipping the summit after a string of embarrassing defeats on the battlefield in a war his supporters believe will be over in a few days.
Rubbing salt in the wound, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky – fresh from a visit to liberated Kherson – addressed the G20 leaders in a video message.
Russia is represented by Sergei Lavrov, although the veteran foreign minister had to go to two hospitals in Bali over the course of several days because of an undisclosed illness.
Moscow denied that the top diplomat was hospitalized.
Mr. Lavrov is not seen as part of Putin’s inner circle – meaning the chances of achieving a diplomatic breakthrough to end the war are slim.
In the absence of Zelensky and Putin, “there is little chance for any real peaceful diplomacy in Bali,” said Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group.
However, French President Emmanuel Macron kept an extended olive branch. He will call Putin after the G20 summit, according to a senior French official.
An agreement to allow Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea is likely to be another focus of the discussion.
It expires on November 19 and Russia has threatened to tear it up.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday said he “hopes” the agreement will be extended, calling it crucial for food security.
Ukraine is one of the world’s top grain producers and Russia’s invasion blocked 20 million tons of grain at its ports before the United Nations and Turkey brokered the deal. July.
“We need urgent action to stop hunger and hunger from increasing in many parts of the world,” Guterres said.
The summit building focused on Mr. Xi, who has made only his second overseas trip since the pandemic.
He met Tuesday with French President Emmanuel Macron and Australia’s Anthony Albanese, a day after his first presidential dialogue with Biden.
The pair cooled down their Cold War rhetoric during the three-hour summit as they tried to cool off the heat from their simmering superpower rivalry.
“The world expects that China and the United States will properly handle this relationship,” Xi told Biden.
Former US diplomat Danny Russel described the meeting as generally positive.
“We should be careful in declaring the strategic rivalry has ended too soon. However, we have seen a deliberate attempt to stabilize a relationship that is dangerously overheated.”
