The G20 summit concluded in New Delhi on Sunday as India passed on the bloc presidency to Brazil. Despite differing views on the war in Ukraine, both the U.S. and Russia praised the consensus reached, which refrained from condemning Moscow and instead called for the avoidance of the use of force by member states.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged leaders to convene a virtual meeting in November to assess the progress on policy suggestions and goals put forth during the summit.
The Leaders' Declaration, adopted on Saturday, abstained from explicitly condemning Russia's involvement in the war but acknowledged the human suffering caused by the conflict and urged all nations to refrain from using force to acquire territory.
The Global South's influence in the discussions played a pivotal role in preventing the Ukraine issue from overshadowing the G20 agenda, according to the press conference held by Indian officials. They emphasized that India successfully united G20 members from the Global South.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan commended the summit declaration for upholding the principle that states should not employ force to seek territorial acquisition or violate the territorial integrity, sovereignty, or political independence of other states.
French President Emmanuel Macron noted that while the G20 was initially established to address international economic matters, it may not be the ideal platform for making diplomatic progress on the Ukraine conflict. He further stated that Russia did not achieve a diplomatic victory at the summit and found itself isolated.
During the summit, the African Union, comprising 55 member states, was granted permanent membership in the G20, underscoring the bloc's representation of the Global South.
Regarding the Black Sea deal, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed that Russia would reconsider its withdrawal and allow Ukraine to export grain if its demands were met. Russia had pulled out of the agreement in July, citing Ukraine's failure to implement a parallel agreement easing regulations on Russian food and fertilizer exports.
On Sunday, the leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, visited the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, a revered figure in India's struggle for independence. Most leaders walked barefoot to the site where Gandhi was cremated after his assassination in 1948.
President Biden flew off for Vietnam afterwards, missing the final session of the summit. The White House stated that it was not aware of any meetings between President Biden and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov or Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who led their respective country's delegations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend the summit.
According to Svetlana Lukash, the Russian G20 government negotiator, this was one of the most challenging G20 summits in its nearly twenty-year history. The negotiations for the summit declaration took almost 20 days before the summit and an additional five days on-site due to disagreements not only on Ukraine but also on key issues such as climate change and the transition to low-carbon energy systems.
An unidentified European Union official highlighted the contentious nature of the Ukraine conflict during the negotiations and credited India's leadership, along with Brazil and South Africa, for playing a crucial role in bridging differences.
Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties, millions displaced, and economic turmoil worldwide. Moscow, referring to its actions as a "special military operation," denies committing any atrocities.
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