NEW DELHI: In a summit statement issued on Saturday, leaders of the G20 expressed their strong disapproval of the use of force for territorial gain in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Notably, the statement refrained from explicitly naming Russia, which has been at the center of the Ukraine crisis.
The document made reference to the “war in Ukraine” and emphasized that “all states” should “refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state.”
This statement marked a departure from a G20 statement made in Bali the previous year, which explicitly cited a United Nations resolution condemning “in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.”
US Welcomes G20 Leaders Statement
Despite the absence of direct references, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan welcomed the wording of the statement. He noted, “From our perspective, it does a very good job,” when speaking to reporters.
Sullivan highlighted that the statement reiterated the fundamental principles that prohibit the use of force for territorial gains, deemed the use of nuclear weapons “inadmissible,” and underscored that “a just peace must be based on the principles of the UN Charter, including the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Furthermore, he emphasized the need for an end to “attacks on civilian infrastructure, including grid infrastructure.”
India, the host of the G20 summit, has been navigating a diplomatic balancing act in relation to the Ukraine conflict. The country has historically maintained a strong alliance with Russia, which is a significant supplier of its arms imports and now a source of cost-effective oil.
Concurrently, India is a member of the Quad grouping, which includes the United States, Japan, and Australia, reflecting its broader engagement in the region and alignment with Western democracies.
