Amid criticism, European officials defend G20 joint declaration

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G20 Summit, which saw member nations soften their condemnation of Russia for its war in Ukraine. Unlike the 2022 Bali Declaration, the joint declaration in Delhi did not directly name and condemn Russia for its war in Ukraine. This approach has come in from criticism from some quarters.

The Ukrainian foreign minister's spokesperson voiced dissatisfaction with the Delhi statement, saying “it was nothing to be proud of." A senior EU official aware of the negotiations admitted that the statement would have looked different if the EU had written it alone. However, the official stressed that the goal was to hammer out a consensus document. “I think the key points that I would highlight in the document with regards to Ukraine is the formation of territorial integrity and serenity.

The fact that the text says countries should be refraining from occupying territory and the acquisition of territory should not be recognized as a key point. And equally, the text calls for the stop of attacks on food and energy infrastructure, which I think is critical going forward. And lastly, that the term just and durable peace was in the text," the official said in defence of the Delhi Declaration.

Unlike the Bali Declaration, the declaration adopted Delhi is also more “stable" given that it reflects international consensus, he said. The official also praised India’s strong leadership in achieving consensus and Delhi’s decision to include Brazil and South Africa, who will lead the grouping in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Ukraine had become the key issue holding back a joint statement during India’s Presidency of the G20.