NEW DELHI (AP) — A meeting of top diplomats of the Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations ended Thursday in New Delhi without a consensus on the Ukraine war, India’s foreign minister said, as members grappled with deepening rifts in their ranks and held contentious talks dominated by Russia’s war and China’s moves to boost its global influence.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said there were “divergences” on the issue of war in Ukraine “which we could not reconcile as various parties held differing views.”
In a video address to the assembled foreign ministers in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the members not to allow current tensions to destroy agreements that might be reached on food and energy security, climate change and debt. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar then said, speaking to the group personally, “We need to find common ground and provide direction.”
Mr. Blinken spent a lot of time explaining U.S. efforts to strengthen energy and food security, according to statements released by the State Department. But he also made it clear to his ministers that Russia’s war with Ukraine could not be left undefended.
However, several members of the G-20, including India, China and South Africa, chose to abstain from that vote.
Blinken and Lavrov met briefly on Thursday at the first high-level meeting between the two countries in months. US officials said Brinken and Lavrov spoke for about 10 minutes on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting.
On Thursday, he visited the G-20 and held separate meetings with Modi and Jaishankar, while Brinken also held separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria and South Africa, and will also meet with the Dutch foreign minister. bottom. and Mexico.
As with most international events since last year, the proceedings were overshadowed by divisions over the war in Ukraine and its impact on global energy and food security. But as the conflict has dragged on over the past 12 months, the rift has widened and now threatens to become a major irritant in US-China relations already stalled for other reasons.
China’s peace offer to Ukraine, praised by Russia but rejected by the West, did nothing to improve the situation. He has repeatedly accused China of supplying Russia. Mr Blinken said Wednesday that China’s plans sound hollow compared to China’s own recent actions because of its focus on “sovereignty”.
Moscow, on the other hand, clings to the view that the West, led by the US, is trying to destroy Russia.
