German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock used the Group of 20 nations meeting to directly address her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and call on him to end the war in Ukraine.
(Bloomberg) — German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock used the Group of 20 nations meeting to directly address her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and call on him to end the war in Ukraine.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned of “deep global divisions” as the G-20 foreign ministers met for a second day in New Delhi.
India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met Lavrov late Wednesday, but few specific details were immediately known. India is trying to convince Moscow and Beijing to go along with a consensus on describing Russia’s war in Ukraine, similar to the one reached last November in Bali, Indonesia.
Key Developments
- Blinken Has No Plans to Meet Russia, China Counterparts at G-20
- Japan Foreign Minister Set to Attend Quad Talks Hosted by India
- India Pushes Russia, China to Join G-20 Consensus on War Wording
- India Buying Russian Oil Below Western Cap, US Officials Say (1)
- Russia’s War Sees G-20 Finance Chiefs End With No Communiqué
(All times local)
China Will Face Consequences if it Arms Russia, Hoekstra Says (11:40 a.m.)
China would face consequences if it decides to start shipping weapons to Russia, Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said on Thursday amid broader US warnings that Beijing may begin offering Moscow military aid.
“What is important and what I will convey to each of the colleagues, including my Chinese colleague here, is that, you know, the truth here is not somewhere in the middle, there is only one country responsible and that is Russia, and therefore all others should clearly refrain from helping out Russia militarily,” Hoekstra told reporters. “That will have consequences if countries crossed that line, in my opinion.”
Indonesia Calls For Peaceful Resolution to Russia-Ukraine War (11:36 a.m.)
The war in Ukraine further emphasized the importance of developing an inclusive regional security architecture in order to create peace, stability and prosperity, said Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in remarks published by the government.
French Foreign Minister Says G-20 Must Stay Firm On Russia’s War (11:30 a.m.)
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said the G-20 needs to respond firmly like it did in the summit last year, according to remarks released by her delegation.
“The message at Bali was clear: as G-20, we need to deliver solutions that protect the most vulnerable, instead of leaving them to suffer from Russia’s war,” she said.
Baerbock Calls on Lavrov to End Russia’s War in Ukraine (10:30 a.m.)
Baerbock told Lavrov, who was sitting directly opposite her, to stop the war, to stop violating international rules and to stop bombing Ukrainian cities and civilians, according to a person familiar with the address.
Baerbock added that it was good that he was in the room to listen. At the last meeting of G-20 foreign minister in Bali last year, Lavrov had left the room before Baerbock’s speech.
Lavrov listened carefully to her speech, took some notes and at one point waved his hand, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Modi Warns of Global Divisions (9.15 a.m.)
The Indian leader warned that the ministers were meeting at a time of “deep global divisions.” However, “as the leading economies of the world, we also have a responsibility towards those who are not in this room.”
Modi also said the mechanisms of global governance had failed the developing nations of the Global South.
“After years of progress, we are at risk today of moving back on the Sustainable Development Goals,” Modi said in his address to the top diplomats. “Many developing countries are struggling with unsustainable debt while trying to ensure food and energy security for their people.”
Japan Foreign Minister Hayashi to Attend Quad Meeting (6.00 a.m.)
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is set to attend a Friday get-together of top diplomats from the so-called Quad nations hosted by India — that also include Australia and the US — after he skipped the G-20 meeting in New Delhi to be present at a parliamentary committee in Tokyo.
Hayashi became the first Japanese foreign minister to miss a G-20 meeting of his counterparts, Kyodo reported, saying he only spoke for 53 seconds during the parliament session he was obliged to attend on Wednesday. The decision not to dispatch the foreign minister may have been more about internal politics in Japan, as opposed to sending any diplomatic message.
Read: Japan Foreign Minister Set to Attend Quad Talks Hosted by India
India, Russia Foreign Ministers Hold Bilateral Talks (9 p.m.)
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued no details after Jaishankar’s meeting with Lavrov. Moscow’s statement said the talks focused on strengthening a “privileged strategic partnership” and both sides were interested in increasing “co-ordination on a global level,” especially through multilateral formats such as BRICS, the SCO, the UN and G-20.
Moscow added both nations share a common commitment to forming a multi polar world.
Washington Raising Rights Concerns With India, US Official Says (9 p.m.)
The US has been raising human rights concerns in every meeting they have with Indian officials, a senior State Department official told reporters, and is aware of broader concern about potential backsliding in the world’s largest democracy as New Delhi hosts G-20 foreign ministers.
This year, in particular, is an important one to raise human rights concerns with India given the country will head into national elections in 2024, the official told reporters on Wednesday evening, declining to be named to speak candidly. Many of India’s partners similarly engage with them on human rights concerns, the official added.
Publicly, senior US officials have been reluctant to criticize India over human rights concerns, particularly in recent weeks over a tax raid on the BBC’s India offices after the British broadcaster aired a documentary examining Modi’s role in deadly 2002 riots in his home state of Gujarat.
India Buying Russian Oil Below Western Price Cap: US (4:58 p.m.)
The Biden administration will continue to discuss India’s purchases of Russian oil with government officials but are satisfied so far that New Delhi is buying the crude well below a western price cap, senior State Department officials told reporters on Wednesday.
India’s purchases of Russian oil are a constant topic of discussion between the US and India as Washington seeks to deny Russia the revenue it needs to fund the invasion of Ukraine, the officials said. They briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. India is buying deeply discounted crude well under the price cap in a way that’s both good for the Indian economy and stabilizing for oil markets, the officials said.
Blinken Has No Plan to Meet Russia, China Counterparts (5.40 p.m.)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he will not meet with his Russian and Chinese counterparts in India, as relations remain frayed over Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and US allegations that Beijing may offer Moscow weapons or other lethal aid.
“No plans to see either at the G-20,” Blinken told reporters at a briefing in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, on the last leg of a trip through Central Asia before traveling to New Delhi. Blinken added that he may participate in group sessions at the meeting alongside diplomats from those countries.
Britain Raises BBC India Tax Probe Ahead of Meetings (3:00 p.m.)
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly raised the recent tax investigation at the BBC’s India offices during his bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, according to people familiar with the matter. The meeting took place ahead of the G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting, the people said asking not to be named because discussions were private.
Press Trust of India had reported the news earlier.
The New Delhi and Mumbai offices of the British broadcaster were searched by Indian tax officials last month for alleged violations. India’s External Affairs Ministry and the British High Commission in New Delhi did not immediately respond to text messages seeking comments.
Growing India Clout Prompts US, Europe to Ignore Modi Crackdown
India Should Make Russia Understand War Has to End, EU Says (1:30 p.m.)
India should convince Russia, through its diplomatic efforts, that its war in Ukraine must end, a senior European Union official said, asking not to be named.
The war has to be condemned, the official added, likely signaling to New Delhi and other countries that have stayed neutral on Vladimir Putin’s aggression.
India Says Russia’s War in Ukraine Will Be Discussed (12.00 p.m.)
At a media briefing ahead of the ministers’ meeting, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said Russia’s war in Ukraine would be part of the discussions. However, New Delhi “cannot prejudge the outcome of the foreign ministers’ meeting.”
India stands behind the final statement that emerged from last year’s leaders’ summit in Indonesia, Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi added.
Russia to Urge Friendly Nations in G-20 to Ditch US Dollar (9 a.m.)
Russia will press its longstanding case to “constructive colleagues in the G-20” to break the dollar and weaken sanctions, according to a statement from its foreign ministry ahead of the meeting.
“The entire world is suffering from the cynical revelry of illegal sanctions, the artificial breakup of cross-border supply chains, the imposition of notorious price ceilings and, in effect, from attempts to steal natural resources,” the statement said, adding that Moscow will discuss in detail its plans to “diversify foreign economic ties and logistics corridors.”
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.