G20 leaders set to agree on joint statement, including on Ukraine
Biden, G20 leaders set to agree on a joint declaration that addresses war in Ukraine – that even gets Moscow’s approval
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that there would be a joint declaration out of this year’s G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi
- The communique will include language on Ukraine
- Saturday’s breakthrough means both President Joe Biden and the Russians agreed to the same language
The G20 leaders agreed to a joint declaration Saturday that specifically includes wording on the brutal war in Ukraine, set to be approved by both President Joe Biden and the Russians.
The exact wording used in the communique wasn’t immediately released to the press, but it gives India a win after last year’s G20 Leaders’ Summit in Bali ended without an official declaration due to Moscow’s resistance.
At that time, language was released that said ‘most members strongly condemned the war,’ though noted there were differences in opinion – as Russia, the country that invaded Ukraine, is a member of the G20.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the G20’s host, announced the breakthrough Saturday afternoon at the conclusion of the summit’s second session.
‘Friends, we just received good news,’ Modi said in Hindi. ‘Owing to the hard work of our teams and with the cooperation of you all, consensus has been reached on a New Delhi G20 leaders’ summit declaration.’
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi banged on the table as he announced the G20 leaders would have a joint communique out of this year’s Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi. Last year language over the war in Ukraine prevented an official declaration from being agreed upon
The declaration will be signed off on by President Joe Biden (left) and the Russians. Russian President Vladimir Putin skipped this year’s G20 Leaders’ Summit, sending Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) in his stead
‘I declare that the declaration has been adopted,’ he said, striking his hands on the table as the room erupted in cheers.
Nikkei cited a source close to India’s government who said Russia had to come around during India’s G20 presidency – as the two are longtime partners.
‘Some compromise over the language [referring to the conflict] is being made,’ the source said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin skipped the summit, as did China’s Xi Jinping.
Biden made the most of it by glad-handing the leaders of some of the U.S.’s top allies when he arrived at the summit Saturday morning.
Biden was spotted laughing with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and spent some time with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the opening session got underway.
The leaders of Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, and Nigeria also greeted Biden.
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo shared a long embrace with Biden before taking his seat.
One photo captured Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov just feet away from the U.S. president, amid tensions over the Ukraine war.
The president was seated four seats away from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as the White House has played coy on whether the two would meet on the summit’s sidelines.
President Joe Biden (left) arrives at the G20 Leaders’ Summit Saturday in New Delhi, shaking and holding hands with the host, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right)
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (left) laughs with President Joe Biden (right) during the G20 Leaders’ Summit on Saturday
President Joe Biden (second from right) holds court with President of the European Council Charles Michel (second from left), Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Asa’ad bin Tariq bin Taimur al Said (center) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (right), while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov – standing in for President Vladimir Putin – stands feet away
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (left) pats President Joe Biden (right) on the shoulder as they arrive at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India on Satudray
They later appeared together at an event announcing a large global infrastructure project, with Biden slightly messing up the pronunciation of MBS’ name.
White House officials spent the morning and Friday night knocking China for playing hooky.
Both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are sitting out the meeting of the world’s top economies.
Putin sent Lavrov in his stead as he’s wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer said Saturday morning that ‘really it’s incumbent upon the Chinese government to explain why a leader would or would not participate.’
It was unclear if Modi expressed displeasure about Xi and Putin’s absences when he met with Biden Friday night – the first meeting of the U.S. president’s trip, but National Security Council Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific Kurt Campbell told reporters afterward that he sensed the Indians were upset.
‘I think it is a disappointment for India that both Russia and China are not here,’ he told reporters in a late Friday night briefing.
‘And the fact that the United States, probably the country that India has invested the most in deepending and developing a relationship with, showed up and is engaged in every major initiative that will be rolled out over the next couple of days was both reassuring and gratifying for the Indian interlocutors and that was not lost on us,’ he also said.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) shakes the hand of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (left) as he arrived at Saturday’s G20 meeting
President Joe Biden (center) heads to his seat at Saturday’s G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India, he was followed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) and flanked by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (center ) was seated next to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (left). It’s unclear whether Biden will meet with MBS on the sideslines of this weekend’s G20 Leaders’ Summit
LEADERS ATTENDING THE G20
ARGENTINA: President Alberto Fernandez
AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
BRAZIL: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
CANADA: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
FRANCE: President Emmanuel Macron
GERMANY: Chancellor Olaf Scholz
INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (host)
INDONESIA: President Joko Widodo
ITALY: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
JAPAN: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
REPUBLIC OF KOREA: President Yoon Suk Yeol
SAUDI ARABIA: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
SOUTH AFRICA: President Cyril Ramaphosa
TURKEY: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
THE UNITED KINGDOM: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
THE UNITED STATES: President Joe Biden
THE EUROPEAN UNION: President Ursula von der Leyen
Last week, China and India got into a diplomatic tiff over an ‘official map’ released by China that claimed lands along the Himalayas that Indian officials say belong to them.
Xi sent Premier Li Qiang in his place.
The president arrived in India Friday night, where he was greeted by the U.S. ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, the former Los Angeles mayor, and his daughter Maya.
Biden bent down to talk to Maya and then was treated to a brief dance number by an Indian dance troupe positioned on a makeshift stage in front of the airport terminal.
They danced to a version of Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You.
Biden then motorcaded to Modi’s residence, where U.S. journalists were left waiting in vans – without bathroom access – outside.
Press access has been one of the gnawing issues at the summit, taking place in the capital of the so-called ‘world’s largest democracy.’
On the flight over, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan pointed to the unique venue where Biden and Modi’s first meeting of the summit was taking place.
‘This meeting will be taking place at the prime minister’s residence,’ Sullivan told reporters on board Air Force One. ‘So it’s unusual in that respect.’
Still, he said that the White House pressed the Indian government for press access – and was denied.
Afterward, Campbell called India a ‘work in progress,’ on various democratic freedoms, including freedom of the press.
‘And I think the key here is for us to maintain a respectful dialogue, and to approach some of the challenges with the degree of humility given some of the challenges that we face in our own country as well,’ Campbell said.
On Saturday, just two U.S. journalists – a writer and a photographer – were allowed access to the opening G20 session.
As Modi spoke in Hindi, the U.S. reporter wasn’t given the device that allows for simultaneous translation.
Finer said Saturday that Biden brought up unspecified democracy issues during his conversation with Modi.
Finer had been asked if Biden had taken Modi to task for bulldozing slums ahead of the summit, leaving droves of poor people homeless in an effort to beautify the city for visiting world leaders.
Ishant Kumar, 10, son of Dharmender Kumar, who works as a clerk at Pragati Maidan which houses the main venue of G20 Summit, stands next to his bulldozed house during a demolition drive by the authorities at a slum area near the upcoming summit venue in New Delhi, India, June 1, 2023
The White House was asked if Biden raised the issue of slum clearance in his meeting with Modi
The slum-clearance if part of a broader effort by India to dazzle world leaders. Stray dogs have also been removed from New Delhi’s busy streets. Authorities in the Indian capital went on a clean-up drive as part of a beautification project
LEADERS SNUBBING THE G20
CHINA: President Xi Jinping
MEXICO: Andrés Manuel López Obrador
RUSSIA: President Vladimir Putin
City officials also disbursed street dogs and monkeys ahead of the summit.
The city’s residents were told to take a holiday, leaving streets vacant and shops closed, clearing the way for motorcades to zoom down traffic-less roadways.
Modi kicked off events at the G20 summit Saturday using a name plate that said ‘Bharat,’ amid speculation that his government could India’s name going forward.
Bharat comes from ancient Sanskrit.
For some, the name India has taken on unpleasant colonial associations, although its root is the Indus river.
It came after state-issued invitations to the event by Droupadi Murmu identified the official as ‘President of Bharat.’
On the agenda Saturday, the White House is set to tout a new shipping and rail corridor project it calls ‘groundbreaking’ with prospects of bringing more stability to the turbulent Middle East region by more closely linking regional economies together.
The project is a new rail transportation corridor that would include the U.S. India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the European Union – although it isn’t exactly ‘shovel ready,’ with leaders set to announce only a ‘memorandum of understanding’ on it.
Finer told reporters traveling in New Delhi Saturday it could help ‘turn the temperature down’ on ‘turbulence and insecurity’ coming out of the Middle East.
‘It will be a clear demonstration of a new model President Biden has pioneered for more transparent and sustainably sustainable development, sustainable, high standard infrastructure that fills a damaged gap and enables greater prosperity and better connectivity for key regions around the world,’ he said.
Saudi Arabia’s inclusion could set up the right conditions for Biden and MBS to speak.
On the table, potentially, is a ‘mega-deal’ between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. that could lead to Saudi and Israel normalizing relations.
It would be a historic breakthrough for Mideast peace.
Officials told Axios last month that the administration is trying to finish its diplomatic push before the 2024 presidential election ramps up.
While those sources pointed to how much of Biden’s time his reelection campaign will eat up, Saudi relations are not popular among swaths of the U.S.
Besides the country’s poor treatment of women, there was the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
And timing of an MBS meeting could also be awkward for Biden – who has decided to skip the traditional 9/11 ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the terror attacks Monday in Alaska on his way home from India and Vietnam.
For years, 9/11 families have gone after the Saudi government, as 15 of the 19 terrorist hijackers were Saudis.
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