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The G20 agreed on a declaration at the New Delhi summit, avoiding direct condemnation of the Russian pedagogy for waging war against Ukraine, but calling on all nations to "refrain from forcible seizure of territory."

As Reuters reported on Saturday, September 9, this consensus in the declaration was unexpected for many participants, as it reflected deep divisions among the group's members. In particular, Western powers initially sought to include a strong condemnation of Russia in the final document, while other countries preferred to focus on broader economic aspects. The remaining countries, which did not belong to either of these two camps, showed no reaction.

The declaration cited by Reuters states:

- all countries must abide by "the principles of international law, including territorial integrity and sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the multilateral system that guarantees peace and stability."

- G20 representatives welcome "relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine";

- threats or use of nuclear weapons "are unacceptable".

The Declaration also calls for the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative for the safe transportation of grain, food and fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia.

A French diplomat who participated in the talks told Reuters that the communiqué was "very satisfactory." The representative of the French diplomatic corps "highly appreciated the wording on the war in Ukraine," especially the part stating that "countries should refrain from seizing territory by force."

"Only one country does this. It is Russia. This will help us reach a consensus later," the French diplomat said.

On September 9, Bloomberg reported that G20 diplomats had agreed on compromise language on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The wording is generally similar to that adopted at the G20 summit in Indonesia in 2022.

Photo: REUTERS/Amit Dave