A draft statement by leaders of the Group of 20 major economies (G20), strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed that it was exacerbating the fragility of the global economy. “There were different views and different assessments of the situation and the sanctions,” said the draft statement, which was confirmed by a European diplomat. The 16-page document has yet to be adopted by G20 members.
The summit, which is hosting Indonesia and other countries and should focus on the global economy, was instead overshadowed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Recognizing that the G20 is not a forum for solving security issues, we recognize that security issues can have significant implications for the global economy,” the draft statement said.
Russia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday the G20 was not the place to address security issues and should instead prioritize world economic challenges ahead of a meeting likely to be dominated by war. The draft document also states that G20 central banks monitor inflationary pressures and calibrate monetary policy accordingly.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged his summit counterparts via video link to strengthen their leadership and stop Russia’s war in his country as part of a peace plan he proposed. Russia, which was represented at the summit by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rather than President Vladimir Putin, says it is conducting a special military operation in Ukraine.
