G20 Summit: HUGE! India gets Russia, China to agree on Ukraine reference in New Delhi Declaration

By Anish Kumar | First Published Sep 9, 2023, 8:42 AM IST

India has achieved a significant diplomatic feat at the G20 Summit, bridging the gap between Russia, China, and the Western nations over the Ukraine war. Both sides have agreed on referencing Ukraine in the 2023 New Delhi Declarations, with a focus on a peaceful resolution.

In a major achievement, India has pulled off the impossible task of bringing the East and the West to the same table with both sides conceding their grounds. On one side, Russia and China -- who had disassociated themselves from the 2022 Bali Declarations -- are now agreeing on Ukraine reference in the 2023 New Delhi Declarations while the West has conceded that the condemnation of the aggressor in Bali last year was harsh.

An official associated with the preparation of the G20 Summit, which began on Saturday in the national capital, told Asianet Newsable: "We are moving towards consensus on New Delhi Declarations. During the Bali Declaration last year, there was no consensus on it as Moscow and Beijing had disassociated themselves on the issue of the Ukraine war.

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Russia and China had been pushing for the G20 to be an economic forum and were seeking that the Moscow-Kyiv conflict issue be left to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The source said that the two sides have now agreed on it and there would be "no mention of hard words" related to the war. There would be a reference to Ukraine and a peaceful solution to this. To note, India has been reiterating that this is not an era of war, but rather an era of dialogue and diplomacy.

Outcome documents

In the G20’s outcome document, India’s focus points are being adopted. Under its Presidency, India has pushed for progress on the Sustainable Development Goals that were adopted in the 2016 G20 Summit.

The challenges and crises like the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification and land degradation, environmental degradation and pollution, learning crisis, economic slowdown, rising debt vulnerability, growing poverty and inequality including gender inequality, food insecurity and malnutrition, step back in access to health, energy insecurity and volatility in energy markets, global supply chain disruptions, and disasters are threatening the long-term livelihoods and wellbeing of millions have hindered progress in achieving the SDGs by 2030.

In 2023, India aimed to fill those gaps in an effort to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by recommitting resources for development, especially in debt-ridden countries.

Some of the other aspects that would be a part of the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi:

* There would be an addition of the African Union as a member in the G20.

* The G20 leaders would agree on handing over economic offenders.

* There would also be consensus on Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE). The aim of the LiFE is to mobilise at least one billion Indians and other global citizens to take individual and collective action to protect and conserve the environment in the period 2022-28.

* During the meeting, the leaders will discuss the issue of regulation of crypto-currency

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