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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
World
Michael Fitzpatrick

No G20 joint statement as China refuses to condemn Russia's war in Ukraine

A Russian delegate at the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in India. © via REUTERS / INDIA'S PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

G20 finance ministers on Saturday failed to adopt a joint closing statement at talks in India, after China sought to soften references to Russia and the war in Ukraine.

Russia accused the United States, the European Union and the G7 nations of disrupting the ministers' meeting by trying to force through a joint statement on Ukraine.

"We regret that the activities of the G20 continue to be destabilised by the Western collective and used in an anti-Russian way," a statement from the foreign ministry in Moscow said.

With no consensus on a final statement, G20 presiding nation India issued a chairman's summary saying "most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine," adding that there were "different assessments of the situation" and different attitudes on the question of sanctions at the two-day meeting in the southern city of Bengaluru, formerly Bangalore.

A footnote said two paragraphs in the summary concerning the war, adapted from the G20 Leaders' Declaration made in Bali in November, "were agreed to by all member countries except Russia and China".

 Chinese, Russian, Indian solidarity

Senior Indian official Ajay Seth said the Chinese and Russian representatives refused to accept the wording on Ukraine because "their mandate is to deal with economic and financial issues.

"On the other hand, all the other 18 countries felt that the war has got implications for the global economy" and needed to be mentioned, Seth told a closing news conference.

China has sought to position itself as neutral on the conflict while maintaining close ties with strategic ally Russia.

State news agency Xinhua quoted top diplomat Wang Yi on Wednesday as saying China was willing to "strengthen strategic coordination" with Russia after meeting President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Beijing to exert pressure on the Kremlin with a view to negotiating an end to the war.

G20 host India has also refused to condemn Russia, which is New Delhi's biggest arms supplier and has become a major source of oil for India since the invasion of Ukraine.

Tax, debt and cryptocurrency

India's summary document said the global economic outlook had "modestly improved", although overall growth remains slow and risks persist including elevated inflation, a resurgence of the pandemic and high debts in many poorer nations.

On climate change it stressed the importance of meeting "fully as soon as possible" the commitment made by developed countries to mobilise 100 billion euros in climate finance annually through 2025 for poorer countries.

The gathering also focused on debt relief for poorer countries hit by rocketing inflation because of the war.

International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva called it a "very good meeting", praising the Indian presidency for focusing "on the issues that really matter" such as inflation and debt.

Other topics included efforts towards a global tax on technolgy companies, widening the remit of multilateral development banks, and cryptocurrencies.

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