G20 issues ‘strong and clear’ condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

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Leaders of the G20 countries have issued a joint statement denouncing the war in Ukraine and calling for Russia’s “complete and unconditional withdrawal.”

The Wednesday statement, which comes after days of closed-door negotiations between diplomats at this week’s summit in Bali, Indonesia, noted that the condemnation was endorsed by “most members” but said there “were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions.”

“Recognizing that the G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy,” the statement added. “Today’s era must not be of war.”

Speaking to reporters after the statement was released, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised the communiqué as “strong and clear.”

“Most countries were very, very clear that so many of the problems facing the world right now have been either caused or exacerbated by Russia’s illegal attacks in Ukraine,” he said.

The joint statement, which does not differ significantly from a draft document circulating since Monday, was published hours after a stray missile hit inside Poland, near the country’s border with Ukraine, amid a barrage of Russian strikes across Ukraine Tuesday.

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Three U.S. officials told the Associated Press that preliminary assessments suggested the stray missile was fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian weapon. The officials were not identified because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Mr. Trudeau would not comment on the origin of the missile, saying an investigation needed to take place, but said Russia had obviously chosen “to thumb its nose” at the G20.

“One thing is absolutely clear, whether it was direct or indirect responsibility, Russia is responsible for what happened because Russia chose to launch over 100 missiles … while we were gathering … to talk about the consequences of this illegal war on the global economy, to call for peace.”

After a discussion with representatives of NATO and the European Union early Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said, “We’re going to make sure we figure out exactly what happened.

“Then we’re going to collectively determine our next step as we investigate and proceed.”

Mr. Biden also condemned Russia’s “totally unconscionable” strikes against Ukraine Tuesday, saying that at a time “when the world came together at the G20 to urge de-escalation,” Russia had “chosen to escalate in Ukraine.”

The missile barrage followed a Monday visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the recently liberated city of Kherson and his address to the G20 summit.

In a prerecorded video, he outlined a 10-point peace plan and called for a special tribunal to investigate Russian war crimes. He compared the liberation of Kherson to the D-Day landings – “not yet a final point in the fight against evil, but it already determined the entire further course of events.”

The speech was criticized by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a news conference for Russian state media later the same day. Mr. Lavrov said Kyiv, not Moscow, was standing in the way of peace.

He also accused Western countries of trying to “politicize” the G20 leaders’ joint declaration by trying to add “statements that would condemn the actions of the Russian Federation on behalf of the entire G20.” He said such matters were “not on the agenda and not in the competence of the G20 group.”

Mr. Lavrov left Bali Tuesday, before the final day of the conference, as Russian missiles were striking Ukraine.

The focus on Ukraine proved frustrating for some G20 countries, which would have preferred prioritizing economic matters, particularly given the ongoing ramifications of the pandemic.

In their statement, G20 leaders said they were “deeply concerned by the challenges to global food security exacerbated by current conflicts and tensions.”

“We therefore commit to taking urgent actions to save lives, prevent hunger and malnutrition, particularly to address the vulnerabilities of developing countries, and call for an accelerated transformation towards sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems and supply chains,” they said.

Part of that includes an agreement brokered by Turkey and the United Nations to secure the transport of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea. Speaking to reporters in Bali on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said discussions were “ongoing” to renew that deal, which is due to expire Nov. 19.

“As for now I am of the opinion that this will continue, there is no problem regarding this,” he said. “As soon as I go back, I will be on the phone with Mr. Putin.”

Mr. Erdogan noted that “extremely high energy, food and raw material prices seem to be pushing all economies to the brink, without any discrimination whatsoever.”

Many of the leaders who gathered in Bali came directly from Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, where they attended the COP27 climate conference. In their joint statement, they reiterated a “commitment to achieve global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century.

“We call for continued support for developing countries, especially in the most vulnerable countries, in terms of providing access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy,” they said.

On Tuesday, the U.S., Canada, and a number of other developed countries agreed to a deal with Indonesia to help that country expedite its transition away from coal-fired power generation.

The fourth-most populous country in the world and the largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia currently relies on coal for some 60 per cent of its energy. The new deal, worth US$20-billion, would bring forward that sector’s peak emissions date by seven years, to 2030.

“Indonesia is committed to using our energy transition to achieve a green economy and drive sustainable development,” President Joko Widodo said. “This partnership will generate valuable lessons for the global community.”

Mr. Trudeau praised the G20′s work on climate change, saying his government was committed to supporting Indonesia in its efforts.

With files from Reuters and the Associated Press