Trying to Introduce G7 to G20

The leaders of the Group of Twenty (G20) adopted a declaration on Saturday which backed off the strong position against Russia they had taken last year. The Chairman Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister, took higher priority on achieving an obvious outcome rather than missing overall agreement. While Japanese Prime Minister Kishida stressed on his unequivocal views against Russian aggression, it is unclear whether he could reflect the standpoint of Group of Seven (G7) as its chairman of this year.

In the meeting of the first day in Saturday afternoon, Modi announced that the leaders agreed on the declaration, which was unusual for G20 Summit to conclude the declaration leaving further discussions by the leaders. The declaration criticized the Ukraine War, saying “all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.”

 

However, the document avoided strong words that appeared in the declaration last year. Referring to the resolution in UN General Assembly which deplored in the strongest terms Russian aggression against Ukraine and demanded its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine, the G20 declaration 2022 noted that most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it would be causing immense human suffering and exacerbating fragilities in the global economy. Those strong words disappeared in this year’s declaration.

 

In his remarks in the leaders’ sessions, Kishida argued that the aggression of Russia against Ukraine was still continuimng in spite of most leaders’ accusation in G20 Bali Summit last year and it would be important for Russia to withdraw as early as possible and achieve fair and permanent peace in Ukraine. He also indicated the necessity for G20 to deal with the difficulties in world economy, including supply of food and energy, caused by the aggression.

 

What Kishida told in the beginning of his speech was that he was the chairman of G7 this year. “The international society faces a combined crises and cooperation in G20 as a premier forum for the cooperation in international economy,” told Kishida. He introduced that he reconfirmed with Modi to reflect the outcome of G7 Hiroshima Summit this May to G20. Let us see. G7 Leaders’ Statement on Ukraine says “we, the leaders of the G7, reaffirmed our commitment to stand together against Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.” That strong condemnation against Russia could not be seen in his statement at G20.

 

While Kishida was attending the meeting with G20 leaders, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshimasa Hayashi had his first meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, as the last visit to Ukraine among G7 foreign ministers. G7 chair country is still catching up the efforts of G7 to support Ukraine.

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