If leaders sign off it will avoid this becoming the first G-20 summit to end without a joint statement at all. To get there, negotiators had to devise language that walked the line between acknowledging Russia’s concerns and extracting concessions from it.
At the same time, the proposed G-20 statement will note differences between some nations by recalling their previously-stated positions on the conflict, the people said. One added the plan for now was to refer to the “war in Ukraine” as opposed to “Russia’s war in Ukraine.” Moscow insists on calling its invasion a “special military operation” and has made it a criminal offense at home to describe it as a war.
A deal on a text to present to leaders is a relief for the hosts and supporter nations headed into the formal start of the summit on Tuesday. The divisions in the lead up to the meeting have highlighted the fractures between wealthier members and those who have borne the brunt of economic disruption first from the pandemic, and now food and energy insecurity exacerbated by Russia’s war.
While Putin may not be attending the summit in person, the event logistics are also proving tricky. Some officials said it is still unclear whether Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who Putin sent in his stead, will take part in social events such as the traditional “family photo” of leaders.Even the hosts don’t know what events Lavrov may pop up at, one of the people said.