G20 Declaration on Ukraine a 'Blow to Western Countries'

The declaration of the G20 summit in India was a blow to the West, a British business newspaper reports, adding that this highlights the lack of global consensus in support of Kiev.

The G20 leaders earlier in the day said in the New Delhi Summit Declaration that they had different views on and assessments of the Ukraine conflict during discussions of the issue, but all of them jointly call for respect for the UN Charter.

"That statement, hammered out over weeks of negotiations between diplomats, is a blow to western countries that have spent the past year attempting to convince developing countries to condemn Moscow and support Ukraine," the newspaper wrote.

"The New Delhi summit declaration refers only to the 'war in Ukraine', a formulation that supporters of [Kiev] such as the US and NATO allies have previously rejected as it implies both sides are equally complicit," the report added.

Russian G20 Sherpa Svetlana Lukash, meanwhile, emphasized that the declaration demonstrates the group's balanced position on the Ukraine conflict and its intention to settle all conflicts around the world.

"As for the Ukrainian case, I can say that the negotiations were very complex and, above all, the collective position of the BRICS countries and other partners has borne fruit ... What we have been hearing all year, that the Ukrainian conflict is worsening the food security situation, is now reflected in a balanced way," Lukash told journalists.

Half of the group's members refused to accept Western narratives, she said, adding that a "consensus language" had been used in the declaration.

In addition, the G20 members have agreed to work jointly for peace, security, and conflict resolution around the world, Lukash said.

India has held the G20 presidency since December 1, 2022. The group's leadership summit is taking place in New Delhi on September 9-10. Leaders of the G20 countries and nine other nations - Bangladesh, Egypt, Spain, Mauritius, Nigeria, the Netherlands, the UAE, Oman, and Singapore - are invited to attend.