Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Wednesday, Jun 04, 2025

No G20 Joint Statement After China Objects To Use Of "War" Over Ukraine

No G20 Joint Statement After China Objects To Use Of "War" Over Ukraine

G20 finance ministers again failed Saturday to agree a joint statement on the global economy at talks in India, after China sought to water down references to the Ukraine war.
G20 finance ministers failed Saturday to agree a joint statement on the global economy at talks in India, after China sought to water down references to the Ukraine war.

Instead current G20 president India issued a "chair's summary" which said "most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine" and that there were "different assessments of the situation and sanctions" at the two-day meeting in Bengaluru.

A footnote said two paragraphs in the summary about the war, which it said were adapted from the G20 Bali Leaders' Declaration in November, "were agreed to by all member countries except Russia and China".

Spain's representative Nadia Calvino had said earlier that because of "less constructive" approaches by some unspecified countries at the talks among the world's top 20 economies, agreeing on a statement was "difficult".

China wanted to change the language of the declaration from November, officials told AFP, with one saying on condition of anonymity that Beijing wished to remove the word "war".

Previous meetings of G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs have also failed to produce a common communique since Russia, a member of the grouping, invaded its neighbour last February.

Senior Indian official Ajay Seth said the Chinese and Russian representatives did not want to sign up to the wording on Ukraine because "their mandate is to deal with economic and financial issues".

"On the other hand, all the other 18 countries felt that the war has got implications for the global economy" and needed to be mentioned, Seth told a closing news conference.

China has sought to position itself as neutral on the conflict while maintaining close ties with strategic ally Russia.

State news agency Xinhua quoted top diplomat Wang Yi on Wednesday as saying China was willing to "strengthen strategic coordination" with Russia after meeting President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

On Friday, the first anniversary of the invasion, China published a 12-point paper calling for a "political settlement" to the crisis that was met with scepticism from Ukraine's allies.

G20 host India has also refused to condemn Russia, which is New Delhi's biggest arms supplier and has become a major source of oil for India since the invasion.

Western countries -- including the United States, Germany and France -- had insisted the language in any joint statement could not be weaker than the communique issued by G20 leaders in Indonesia in November.

"This is a war. And this war has a cause, has one cause, and that is Russia and Vladimir Putin. That must be expressed clearly at this G20 finance meeting," German Finance Minister Christian Lindner told a news conference on Friday.

Debt relief

India's summary document said the global economic outlook had "modestly improved", although overall growth remains "slow" and risks persist including elevated inflation, a resurgence of the pandemic and high debts in many poorer nations.

On climate change it stressed the importance of meeting "fully as soon as possible" the commitment made by developed countries to mobilise $100 billion in climate finance annually through 2025 for poorer countries.

The gathering also focused on debt relief for poorer countries hit by rocketing inflation because of the war, amid differences between China and the West on how to provide it.

Western officials want China to take "haircuts" on loans to debt-stricken nations but Beijing says multilateral lenders including the World Bank should also do so.

India's summary said that "strengthening multilateral coordination by official bilateral and private creditors" was needed. Delegates said agreeing this wording was a success.

"In Bali last summer we discussed for three days the wording of a communique and we didn't discuss substance at all there. We did this time," one negotiator said.

International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva called it a "very good meeting", praising the Indian presidency for focusing "on the issues that really matter" such as inflation and debt.

Other topics included efforts towards a global tax on tech giants, widening the remit of multilateral development banks such as the World Bank to help nations hit by climate change, and cryptocurrencies.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
×