Brazilian President Lula, the host of the G20 summit, issued a joint statement a day earlier than scheduled, according to sources familiar with the matter. The decision was made to minimize discussions on the Ukraine conflict, which has caused discontent among European leaders.
German Chancellor Scholz expressed regret during the summit in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday (November 19th) that the joint statement did not emphasize Russia’s responsibility in fueling the Ukraine conflict, especially as it marked the 1000th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Putin did not attend the summit, with Foreign Minister Lavrov representing Russia instead.
Since the onset of the war, the wording regarding the Ukraine issue has been a sensitive topic at G20 meetings due to the involvement of Russia and its ally, China.
Normally, joint statements are released at the end of the summit. Three Brazilian diplomats involved in the talks revealed to Reuters that despite demands from European nations for a stronger condemnation of Russia’s role in the war, Lula chose to approve the text at the end of the plenary session on Monday to avoid the risk of the summit ending without a statement. At that time, leaders from France, Germany, and the United States were not present.
The Brazilian Foreign Ministry has not immediately responded to Reuters’ request for comments.
French President Macron stated on Monday evening that the joint statement was finalized by President Lula and did not reflect the position they could have expressed.
He added that a text more explicitly addressing the war would have been more convincing, stating, “This does not change France’s stance, that Russia has initiated an aggressive war against Ukraine. Our top priority today is achieving lasting peace.”
Following Russia’s massive airstrikes on Ukraine over the weekend, European diplomats had pushed for reopening the text and making modifications related to expressions about the Russia-Ukraine war, but they were met with resistance from the Brazilian side.
Radio Free Europe quoted Bruna Santos, director of the Brazilian Institute at the Wilson Center, as saying that Lula’s resistance to diplomatic pressure from other countries on Ukraine and Gaza issues reflects Brazil’s strategic approach of forming “multilateral alliances” amid an increasingly divided global landscape.
Santos also noted that in a world becoming more polarized, neutrality may alienate all parties.