The G20 declaration, a pivotal document at the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi, garnered international attention for its nuanced stance on the Ukraine war. While it may not have explicitly condemned Russia’s actions, it elicited mixed reactions from global media outlets. Let’s delve into what prominent news sources had to say about this declaration.
The New York Times’ Perspective
The New York Times noted that the declaration, painstakingly negotiated on a Saturday evening, omitted any direct condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or its conduct during the conflict. Instead, it lamented the suffering of the Ukrainian people. This year, expectations for the G20’s divided group to reach a consensus on Ukraine were low, according to NYT.
CNN’s Analysis
CNN commented that the eventual compromise statement was a significant achievement for the summit’s host, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, it also pointed out that the declaration still represented a milder stance compared to the individual positions taken by the United States and its Western allies.
Russia’s Tass News Agency’s Perspective
Russia’s Tass news agency reported that the G20 summit was one of the most complex in the forum’s almost 15-year history. It took nearly 20 days of preparation before the summit and five days of negotiations on-site to reach a consensus on the declaration.
BBC’s Evaluation
BBC observed that the Delhi declaration seemed designed to provide a platform for both the West and Russia to find common ground. However, it noted that the language used in the declaration was not as strong in its condemnation of Moscow as in the previous year’s statement in Bali. An important distinction was made in the choice of words, referring to “the war in Ukraine” rather than “the war against Ukraine.” This wording could have played a role in gaining Russia’s endorsement.
Insights from Sky News
Sky News highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s desire to showcase his ability to bridge global divides during the G20 summit in Delhi. It considered the fact that a consensus was reached on the first day as proof of Modi’s success. However, it also pointed out that the paragraph addressing the Ukraine war was a watered-down version of what was agreed upon in Bali the previous year.
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Take
The Sydney Morning Herald applauded the G20 summit for delivering what it described as the harshest international rebuke yet of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine. Despite this, the declaration’s comments on the conflict were less forceful compared to last year’s statement in Bali. It omitted direct references to the “war against Ukraine” and the paragraph that strongly condemned the war in Ukraine.
In conclusion, the G20 declaration’s handling of the Ukraine issue was met with varied responses from the global media. While some viewed it as a diplomatic achievement, others perceived it as a compromise that did not match the strong stances of individual Western nations. The choice of words and the omission of certain phrases in the declaration played a significant role in shaping these differing perspectives.
