AFP – General G20 summit pressures Russia to end war in Ukraine 11/15/2022 09:43

The G20 summit in Indonesia increased international pressure on Russia, with several calls, including in countries close to Moscow, on Tuesday, to end the war in Ukraine with devastating consequences around the world.

Despite the international division over the invasion, delegations, including Russia, agreed on a final draft statement highlighting the “enormous suffering” caused by the conflict and noting that “the majority of members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine”.

The letter, still pending final approval by the leaders, in a tacit message to Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring that the use or threat of resorting to nuclear weapons is “unacceptable”, but also acknowledges that there are “other points to consider.” view”. in the block.

Putin did not attend this summit on the paradise island of Bali and sent his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, to counter the barrage of criticism from other leaders.

Unlike the G20 meeting in July, when Lavrov left the room, the Russian foreign minister steadfastly resisted when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke via videoconference.

“I am convinced that the time when Russia’s devastating war must and can end is now,” Zelensky said.

In later comments, Lavrov said Ukraine’s demands to open negotiations were “manifestly unrealistic” and accused the West of waging a “hybrid war” against them.

Calls for peace began as soon as the summit was opened by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who remained neutral during the conflict.

“We have to end the war. If the war does not end, it will be difficult for the world to progress,” said Widodo, warning that the world should not enter a “new cold war”.

hunger kills

The war and its devastating consequences for the world monopolized the summit’s first discussion session devoted to food and energy security.

After almost nine months of war, Ukraine repelled the first attempt to attack Kiev and in recent months has regained significant territory, including the recent reconquest of Kherson, the only provincial capital taken by Russia.

With the rumbling of guns in Eastern Europe, the consequences of the conflict spread globally, inflation driving millions of families into poverty and pushing many countries into recession.

In the final draft declaration, the delegations included a call for the renewal of the agreement between Moscow and Kyiv to allow the export of Ukrainian grain, which expires on November 19, with a request joined by Zelensky.

The agreement reached with the intervention of the UN and Turkey in July made it possible to start the export of 20 million tons of grain, which was blocked due to the conflict in Ukraine, one of the world’s largest grain producers.

Among the G20 countries, it is among the countries most affected by inflation, such as Turkey or Argentina, where prices have increased by 66% and may reach 100% this year.

“Food is more expensive or scarce in the Southern hemisphere, and it is poverty and hunger that are killing you, not bullets or missiles,” said Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Santiago Cafiero, who replaced President Alberto Fernández in the initial discussions. felt uncomfortable.

“Russia is very isolated”

While many countries suffered from the consequences of the war, even countries often close to Moscow, such as China or India, joined the calls for peace, although they did not directly mention Russia.

In his speech, Xi Jinping expressed his firm opposition to the “politicization, instrumentalization and weaponization of food and energy problems”, despite criticizing Western sanctions against Moscow.

The day before, after meeting with US President Joe Biden to limit the growing rivalry between the two powers, Xi agreed with his interlocutor to denounce threats to use nuclear weapons in the conflict.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino even urged Bali to maintain a month-long ceasefire in Ukraine during Qatar’s 2022 World Cup celebrations, which will begin on Sunday.

“It’s clear that Russia is very isolated,” said a senior official from a Western delegation. Another Western source said, “No one came to defend Russia. There are those who did not want to attack him, but no one came to defend him.”