Categories: POLITICS

Calls to “hear Russia’s signal,” talks with Xi, and Erdoğan’s plan for Ukraine – the G20 Summit continues in Brazil

As reported by Voice of America, the leaders of the G20 are discussing climate change, trade issues, and international security at the summit in Rio de Janeiro, with special attention given to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The summit is expected to conclude with a joint statement. The United States will push for the communiqué to include “strong language on Ukraine,” U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Jonathan Finer told the press on Monday. However, he noted that achieving this would be challenging, as unlike the G7, which unites like-minded countries, the G20 includes adversaries, such as Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on G20 leaders to pay attention to Russia’s intensified attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, including a strike on Odesa that killed at least eight people, including a child.

China and Brazil are emphasizing their initiatives to end the war, while Turkey is expected to present a new plan for resolving the conflict.

Initial statements from the Summit

The summit was opened on November 18 by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who announced the creation of a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, describing it as the result of political decisions.

In his opening remarks, U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed the U.S. government’s support for Ukraine.

“The United States strongly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Everyone at this table, in my view, should as well,” Biden said in his introductory statement.

The Russian delegation at the summit is led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, rather than President Vladimir Putin. Putin stated that he would not attend the G20 meeting to avoid disrupting the “good work” of the summit.

Last year, on December 4, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva remarked that he could not guarantee President Putin would not be arrested if he attended the G20 summit.

Ukraine urges the world to “Hear the Signal” from Russia

On Monday, November 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on G20 leaders during the summit in Brazil to take note of the Russian strike on Odesa, which claimed the lives of at least eight people, including a child.

“These are not random strikes – they are demonstrative ones. Following calls and meetings with Putin, after all the deceitful rumors in the media about alleged ‘restraint’ from attacks, Russia is showing what truly interests it: only war. This signal should be heard in all parts of the world, from the halls where G20 members meet to every capital around the globe,” Zelenskyy wrote on Facebook.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Brazil, Andriy Melnyk, cautioned summit participants against engaging with Moscow as Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine.

“Today, while you roll out the red carpet for Russia, Putin ordered an attack on the center of Odesa, a UNESCO heritage site in Ukraine, using a ballistic missile that killed at least eight civilians. What a disgrace!” he wrote on his account on X.

Xi Jinping’s statements on “International Cooperation”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been referred to by some media outlets as the “central player” at the G20 summit, which, according to Reuters, is “riven by geopolitical tensions amid the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.”

Ahead of the summit, Xi published an extensive article in Brazil’s leading newspaper, Folha de S. Paulo, emphasizing the China-Brazil plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Although Ukraine has rejected the plan and allies have criticized it for failing to uphold the UN Charter, Xi claimed that the six-point proposal received a “positive response from the international community.”

On Monday, November 18, during a meeting with Xi Jinping, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his desire to engage candidly with China on issues such as human rights, Hong Kong, and the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported.

Citing the UK Prime Minister’s spokesperson, the agency noted that Keir Starmer emphasized during his conversation with Xi Jinping that he seeks to “honestly and openly” cooperate in areas where Beijing and London have differing perspectives, “including Hong Kong, human rights, and Russia’s war in Ukraine.”

During a meeting in Peru on November 16, U.S. President Joe Biden urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to persuade North Korea not to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Biden also expressed concern over the increasing military activity by Beijing near Taiwan and in the South China Sea, China’s support for Moscow’s war against Ukraine, and the deployment of North Korean troops to assist Russia.

Biden called this “very dangerous” for Europe and Korea, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters after the meeting.

Erdogan’s plan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to present a new initiative for ending Russia’s war in Ukraine at the summit, according to Bloomberg, citing sources.

The plan proposes that Ukraine delay discussions about joining NATO for at least 10 years. Erdogan also suggests establishing a demilitarized zone in eastern Donbas and deploying international troops there “as an additional guarantee.” Furthermore, the Turkish president proposes providing Ukraine with military supplies as compensation for agreeing not to pursue NATO membership.

At the same time, the Kremlin stated that Moscow considers any potential option of freezing the Russia-Ukraine war, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is reportedly planning to propose, unacceptable.