Deftly avoiding any reference to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the G20 Leaders’ Declaration, which was unanimously agreed, did make a general appeal for all countries to uphold the value of respecting each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Source: Telegraph India
Both Russia and the Western countries asserted that their respective stances on the Ukraine conflict had been validated, much to India’s delight and satisfaction. The efforts made by the developing nations, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who attended the summit in place of President Putin, prevented the West from Ukrainizing the G20.
The summit, he said, had provided clear instructions for attaining objectives like keeping a balance of interests in the global economy, and he praised India’s presidency. On the other hand, Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, claimed that the declaration had maintained Russia’s isolation and reaffirmed the commitment of the bloc to a just and lasting peace in the conflict-torn Ukraine.
Source: Hindustan Times
Notably, the statement issued following the G20 summit in Bali last year had denounced Russian aggression against Ukraine in the strongest terms. The fact that the Western countries this time backed away from the confrontation is to New Delhi’s credit.
Offending or insulting the host country was not an option for the West given India’s increasing influence on international platforms. The G20 conference taught us that India is not a nation to be taken lightly. The success of the occasion is a fervent support for New Delhi’s independent foreign policy.
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