Photo: President of Ukraine video address at the G20 summit
Source: CNN
 

On November 15-16, 2022, the G-20 summit was held in Indonesia. Ukraine was also invited to take part in this year's event and was represented in Bali at the level of ambassador, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a video address. This year's Group of 20 summit took place against the background of the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and therefore the event became, among other things, the fight for the mind, of the so-called global South, which mostly tried to remain neutral and not support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian aggressor. The majority of non-Western countries spoke in favor of negotiations and a diplomatic solution to the conflict, which in the current conditions is actually equivalent to the capitulation of Ukraine. Russia also played on these sentiments, whose official representatives declared their alleged desire and readiness for a peaceful settlement and lied about Ukraine's reluctance to end the war. That is why Ukrainian diplomacy quite successfully placed the emphasis in speech of Volodymyr Zelensky who did not try to persuade the participants to join the anti-Russian coalition, but focused on the way to end the war. The President of Ukraine proposed a Plan for achieving peace, which consists of 10 steps:

• Radiation and nuclear safety. 
• Food security. 
• Energy security. 
• Release of all prisoners and deportees. 
• Implementation of the UN Charter and restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the world order. 
• Withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities. 
• Justice. 
• Immediate protection of the environment from ecocide. 
• Preventing escalation. 
• Confirmation of the end of the war.

In response to the speech of the President of Ukraine, and in his speech, the Russian side has traditionally justified itself, hiding behind propaganda clichés, in particular, about the fight against neo-Nazism in Ukraine and the "war unleashed by the West." Russia was represented by Foreign Minister Lavrov, who left the summit on the first day. It was the only G20 state that was not represented by the country's leader. Immediately after Lavrov's departure, on the very first day of the summit, the international community witnessed a large-scale missile attack on the territory of Ukraine, as a result of which one of the missiles fell on the territory of Poland. In connection with this situation, an emergency meeting of the G7 was held in Bali, also inviting the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Spain. The participants adopted a joint statement condemning "Russia's barbaric missile strikes" and reaffirming "unwavering support for Ukraine."

Vladimir Putin thus demonstrated his attitude towards the countries of the Group of 20 and the leader of Indonesia personally. First, when he did not come to the summit, perhaps because of fear of being killed. But the President of Russia did not speak online either. Then - when he attacked Ukraine. In such circumstances, it is difficult for neutral countries to call for peace in discussions with Western countries. Contacts of the Russian minister at the summit were limited, which demonstrates the diplomatic isolation of the Russian Federation. Russia is becoming more and more toxic in the international arena and is losing its international influence. Even China, which is considered to be Russia's main partner, does not share the methods used by the Russian leadership and politically distanced itself from Moscow.

Before the summit itself, a meeting was held between the leaders of the United States and China. As a result of the talks, the American side stated that President Biden and President Xi reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought and can never be won and underscored their opposition to Russia’s use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. However unlike the White House report on the talks, the Chinese report did not mention the agreement of Xi Jinping and President Biden to oppose the Russian nuclear threat in its war against Ukraine. According to the Chinese version, Xi Jinping said that “China is highly concerned with the current situation in Ukraine”. Xi also said that “a complicated issue does not have a simple solution,” and that “confrontation between major powers must be avoided.” The United States of America and China are looking for common ground in the new geopolitical conditions. The Russian Federation can no longer claim an equal dialogue with the two world leaders, because with the reduction of Russian power in the new configuration, Russia will have less and less influence on global processes.

In his video message, Volodymyr Zelensky also called on the G19 countries to exclude Russia from this club of the most powerful countries. There is a rational basis for such a decision, since Russia, firstly, violates the norms of international law and by its war not only destroys its own economy, but also hinders the development of other states. Secondly, there is already a precedent for the exclusion of the Russian Federation from the G8. Thirdly, there are other countries in the world that remain outside the G20 format, but have ambitions to become a member. At the same time, setting a precedent may call into question the participation of other states in the future, which reduces the desire of the G20 countries to support the idea of excluding Russia.

Before the G20 summit on November 15-16, there were doubts about the adoption of a joint communiqué on the results of the event, as Western countries insisted on a harsh condemnation of Russian aggression, and states such as Indonesia, India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Saudi Arabia wanted to abstract. In the end, the countries found a compromise and adopted a "declaration of the leaders of states", which contains a mention of the UN General Assembly resolution condemning the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demanding its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine. However, some countries defended the wording regarding the existence of "other views and assessments of the situation." The declaration enshrines the following position of the G20 countries regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war: “Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy – constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks. There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. Recognizing that the G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy”.

The summit in Indonesia was an opportunity for Ukrainian diplomacy to advance its position in an important diplomatic forum, where countries from all continents were represented. This event is a harmonious embodiment of the strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in promoting the Ukrainian position in the countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, since Ukrainian representatives had the opportunity to maintain a dialogue with various regional leaders. Volodymyr Zelenskyy's speech proposing a peaceful settlement was an important step in advancing the Ukrainian agenda where Russia was still trying to seek support. Ukraine's plan contrasts sharply with the arguments of Russian diplomacy, divorced from reality, brought about by the Russian large-scale missile attack. Although the non-Western states of the G20 did not change their position overnight, Ukraine's participation at the summit is of strategic importance and opens the prospects for a gradual change in the views of non-Western countries on the Ukrainian-Russian war and ways to achieve victory, in case they work consistently and methodically on this direction together with partner countries.
 

Sources:

1. 10 кроків Зеленського до переговорів про мир з РФ. Виступ на саміті G20, 15.11.2022,
URL: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/articles/2022/11/15/7150645/

2. Байден заявив про готовність до співпраці на зустрічі з Сі Цзіньпіном, 14.11.2022,
URL: https://ukrainian.voanews.com/a/biden-xi-bali/6833279.html

3. Biden and Xi condemn Russian nuclear threats; Zelenskiy visits liberated Kherson – as it happened, 14.11.2022,
URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/nov/14/russia-ukraine-war-live-news-race-to-restore-power-and-water-in-kherson-murdered-civilians-found-zelenskiy-says

4. G20 Bali Leaders’ Declaration, 11.16.2022,
URL: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/11/16/g20-bali-leaders-declaration/