NEW DELHI: Differences over a reference to the Ukraine war in a communique to be adopted at the G20 finance ministers meeting spilled out into the open on Friday, with France saying it will oppose any document that doesn’t include a denunciation of Russia’s “illegal and brutal attack”.
People familiar with the matter said there were sharp divisions between G7 members and other countries in the G20 over the wording of the reference to the Ukraine conflict in the communique to be adopted at the conclusion of the two-day meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Bengaluru.
French finance minister Bruno Le Maire told a news conference on the margins of the meeting that his country will oppose any “step back” from the denunciation of Russia’s actions in the G20 leaders’ declaration at the Bali summit last November. There must be a “clear condemnation of the…illegal and brutal attack by Russia”, he said in response to questions from reporters.
“We fully trust India to reach a strong communique and we are quite happy to see India [in] the driving seat today,” Le Maire said in his opening remarks. “We share the view of Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi – this is not and this must not be an era of war.”
The leaders’ declaration or joint communique at the last G20 Summit had said: “Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy…There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions.” The declaration also echoed Modi’s remarks during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last September – that “today’s era is not of war”.
Le Maire insisted that France wants a clear denunciation of the Russian invasion. “Either we stick to the Bali communique or France will oppose any communique during this G20 [meeting] of the finance ministers. I cannot be clearer,” he said.
The “key point which remains open” in negotiations on the communique is the “wording of the condemnation of the war in Ukraine”, he said. “But once again, I fully trust India because India is [in] the driving seat, India is playing a key role and I think that India is in the best position to have this strong communique that we are all waiting for,” Le Maire said.
France used the G20 finance ministers’ meeting to reaffirm its condemnation of the Russian attack on Ukraine. “Beyond human losses and destruction, what is at stake with this war in Ukraine are our key principles of sovereignty and international order. What is at stake is the strength of growth and of prosperity for the long-term,” Le Maire said.
France also made it clear at the G20 meeting that the Ukraine war is not a “regional conflict, but a global conflict, affecting not only Ukraine and European countries but countries around the world”. European countries are determined to adopt new sanctions against Russia after earlier embargoes reduced oil revenues by 46%, froze Russian assets worth $58 billion and undermined war efforts.
The 27-member European Union (EU) is trying to find common ground on a new wave of sanctions against Russia, he added.
On Thursday, US treasury secretary Janet Yellen said Washington wants to see tougher and more effectively enforced sanctions against Moscow along with stronger condemnation of the war in Ukraine. She also warned China of consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions.
The people cited above said India raised key global financial issues, such as revamping multilateral finance institutions, helping countries facing a debt crisis, addressing supply chain disruptions and ensuring food and energy security, during Friday’s deliberations. India’s G20 sous sherpa, Abhay Thakur, travelled to Bengaluru on Friday as efforts picked up pace to ensure consensus on the communique.
Divisions caused by the Ukraine crisis resulted in most ministerial meetings during Indonesia’s G20 presidency in 2022 ending without joint communiques. The meetings were summed up in a chair’s summary, and Indonesian and Indian diplomats had to work overtime to ensure the adoption of the leaders’ declaration.