G20 negotiators have agreed on compromise wording to describe the war in Ukraine, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions. The compromise phrasing would still need approval from the leaders of the G20 countries. The group has been deeply divided on the issue, with Western nations pushing for strong condemnation of Russia while others emphasize broader economic issues. The sherpas, or country representatives, have reached a compromise on the language to be used in the final communique, which will be presented to the leaders, the source said. The details of the compromise language were not immediately available, but it may be similar to the language used in the communique issued at the 2022 G20 summit in Indonesia.
The annual G20 summit began on Saturday in New Delhi, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for an end to the “global trust deficit.” Modi also announced that the African Union would be granted permanent membership in the G20 in a bid to make the bloc more representative. The summit is taking place in a new convention center called Bharat Mandapam, with heightened security measures in place. The leaders of the G20 nations, including US President Joe Biden, will be discussing a range of issues, including the war in Ukraine and climate action.
The G20 negotiators’ agreement on compromise wording comes after earlier drafts of the summit declaration failed to resolve disagreements over the war in Ukraine. The negotiators left the “geopolitical situation” paragraph blank in the draft, while they had agreed on 75 other paragraphs covering various issues. Biden is expected to push for stronger climate action from major countries at the summit, as concerns grow about a lack of consensus on cutting emissions. The G20 nations account for 80% of global emissions, making their views crucial ahead of the COP 28 climate conference in the United Arab Emirates.
While the G20 summit was expected to be an opportunity for a possible meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to mend ties, Xi decided to skip the meeting and sent Premier Li Qiang in his place. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also absent from the summit. According to reports, China may be shifting its focus from the G20 to other groupings like BRICS, where it has a dominant position. BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and has recently agreed to add Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates as new members.
The G20 negotiators’ agreement on compromise wording represents a significant step towards reaching a consensus among the member countries. However, there is still uncertainty over whether the leaders will approve the compromise language and whether a joint declaration will be achieved. In the absence of an agreement, India may have to issue a chair statement, which would mean that the G20 summit would not have a declaration for the first time in its 20-year history. The differing views on the war in Ukraine have been a major obstacle to achieving a consensus on communique at ministerial meetings during India’s G20 presidency this year.