Is The G-20 Summit Politicized? – OpEd

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The G-20 summit is divided over how to respond to Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Although many attendees did not agree or remained silent in opposition to Russian aggression chasing their national interests. Although it might have appeared that this meeting was politicized against Russia, but there are various opinions or stances of different countries in this regard which will be discussed in the article shows an un-unanimous approach of participant countries against Russia. 

The G-20 annual summit in Bali on Nov 16, 2022, wide range of international political issues including food security, Taiwan’s political situation, and the conflict in Ukraine have been discussed. Although it is not a security alliance, at this point it appears that it has given a center stage to conflict in Ukraine. Global leaders are trying to reach an agreement on a variety of topics that touch billions of people’s living cost. Additionally, their top priority is the post-pandemic global economy.

The sideline the three-hour meeting between President XI and his American counterpart during two-day summit focused primarily on discussing Taiwan, with U.S. President Joe Biden emphasizing a desire to avoid conflict. This is the first meeting of Biden since he resumed office, with XI who has been elected to a third five-year term. Biden said, “I do not think there’s any imminent of attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan and I made it clear that our policy in Taiwan has not changed at all.”  This meeting would have some prospects for better bilateral relations between the US and China as perhaps Secretary of State Antony Blinken’ visit to China will take place early next year, the highest-level American visit to China in more than four years. 

Additionally, Australian Prime Minister said, “we need to cooperate with China where we can we’ll disagree where we must but we’ll act and have dialogue in our national interest.” 

 Moreover, on ground, no organized effort was made to deal with the sanctions imposed on Russia. Some countries are against these measures. Argentina, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the summit’s host nation, and the other G20 nations have also abstained from placing penalties on Russia. China, India, and South Africa have abstained in UN votes denouncing Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Also they reject to support the Western-led campaign of sanctions against Russia. The club of major economies is not in agreement on how to respond, despite the fact that inflation is at 40-year highs and the prospect of a worldwide recession appears, and many non-Western members are unwilling to publicly side against Moscow. 

There is 80 percent of the world’s economic output is produced by the G-20 nations. at this summit, a key factor in the declining global economy is the European War.  a tragic explosion in Poland is shocking for NATO. two people were killed when missiles struck a Polish village near the Ukrainian border, EU leaders of the G20 hurried to meet. But today on Nov 17, it has been informed that this attack is not from Russia. 

Although majority members oppose the war, there are alternative opinions and varied assessments of the situation and sanctions, and members continue to state their national positions. Joko Widodo, the president of Indonesia, has emphasized the summit’s neutrality and rejected efforts to exclude Russia. On Tuesday, he called for rejecting zero-sum circumstances and calling for an end to the war. It will be challenging for the world to advance if the war does not cease, according to Widodo.

With the US and its supporters on one side and Russia and its friends on the other, the Ukrainian crisis has widened tensions in the world. Pakistan also remained neutral voting against Russia at UN General Assembly, keeping its neutral stance over Ukraine-Russia conflict. 

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