G20: Draft agreement uses term ‘war’ rejected by Russia

Despite the differences between countries towards the invasion of Ukrainethe pressure on Russia rose today at the summit of its major economies G20 for to end the war which has major global implications.

The most important international meeting of leaders since the start of the pandemic is carried out without the isolated internationally Vladimir Putin in Bali, almost nine months since the start of the bloody war it has caused global energy and food crisis.

The session also presents the disputes between the Westerners who support Ukraine and the other countries, led by China, who avoid condemning Moscow.

Nevertheless, club members agreed on a draft joint communiquéwhich was considered almost impossible in recent days due to the rift between the countries, but also the need for its approval by Moscow.

The textif approved by the leaders, recognizes the negative effects of the “war in Ukraine” and uses the term “war” which is rejected by Moscow which nine months later speaks of a “special military operation”.

It states, according to APE-MPE, that “majority of members”, “strongly condemns” the conflict, considers the resort to the threat of nuclear weapons “unacceptable” and requests the renewal of the agreement on the export of grain through the Black Sea.

“Poverty kills”

If the supporters of Russia, such as Chinathe India and the South Africadid not go as far as directly criticizing Moscow during the session, their negotiators accepted a text in which it is underlined that the effects of the war are the main factor of the world supply problems in energy and foodstuffs.

THE Argentina and the Turkeyalso members of the G20 are among the countries most affected by these crises.

“In the Northern Hemisphere, merchants of death are making deals for arms sales, but in the Southern Hemisphere food is scarce and expensive. There, it is not bullets and rockets that kill, but poverty and hungersaid Argentina’s Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero.

After his return from the liberated Kherson, the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky he proposed indefinitely extending the grain export agreement on which many poor countries depend.

Volodymyr Zelensky was one of the first to speak via video conference before the “G19”, excluding Russia.

“I am convinced that it is now time to stop Russia’s destructive war“, said the president of Ukraine. “It must and can be stopped,” he said, laying out his plan for peace and saving thousands of lives: no trust in Russia, no tolerance for Moscow’s nuclear blackmail and paranoid threats, and a wholesale exchange of prisoners of war.

“Russians are very isolated”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, representing Putin in Bali, remained in the room during the speech.

Characterize “unrealistic” Ukrainian conditions for the start of negotiations with the goal of ending the war.

“Russians are very isolated. I think some countries have talked to Russia, but the contact has been very cautious,” a Western official said.

All eyes are on China and its president, Xi Jinpingwho strengthened his ties with Vladimir Putin in the run-up to the war, forming a common front against what Moscow and Beijing described as “hegemonic wills of the West”.

Although Beijing has refrained from condemning the Russian invasion, from the G20 podium Xi Jinping rejected the instrumentalization of food and energy, in an indirect criticism of Moscow. But he balanced it by asking the West to lift sanctions, such as those imposed on Russia.

During their meeting on the sidelines of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron asked Xi to mediate with Putin to get him back to the negotiating table, according to the Elysee Palace.