“In view of the serious situation in West Asia and after hearing everyone, the G20 agrees on several issues: (…) the need to resolve the problem between Israel and Palestine through a two-state solution,” said the Indian first minister Narendra Modi at the conclusion of the G20 meeting.
In addition to supporting this path, developed and emerging countries condemned terrorism and the deaths of civilians, especially children, during the conflict, agreed to the “quick and effective” provision of humanitarian assistance and called for “dialogue and diplomacy as the only path”.to resolve international conflicts,” Modi continued.
The war in Gaza, which has already killed more than 15,000 people, was the central theme of the meeting of heads of state and government, which coincided with the Group of Twenty’s announcement this Wednesday of a temporary humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas also welcome.
A four-day ceasefire, expected to begin tomorrow, Thursday, will see the exchange of hostages between the two sides and the entry of humanitarian aid.
The meeting also marked Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first appearance at a summit of G20 leaders since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, a situation he used to highlight the double standards of the United States and its allies in both conflicts . . .
“And the annihilation of the civilian population in Palestine, in the Gaza Strip, isn’t that impressive? And the fact that doctors have to operate on children (…), have to use scalpels on children’s bodies without anesthesia, right.” “Does it have an impact?” Putin asked during his speech, broadcast on public television, in response to the Heads of state and government who were “shocked” today by the consequences of Russian “aggression” against Ukraine.
“I understand that war and the death of people inevitably move. And the bloody coup in Ukraine in 2014, which led to the Kiev regime’s war against its own people in Donbass? Isn’t that moving?” he added.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been the focus of G20 nations in recent years, hindering the adoption of joint communiqués and forcing intense negotiations over language, as was the case at the last leaders’ summit.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of more than 35 states and international organizations, including the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio. . . da Silva, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
On the contrary, the list of absentees is short but notable, including US President Joe Biden, Putin’s main counterweight on the international stage, who attended the face-to-face meeting in September, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was already at the face-to-face meeting the G20 heads of state and government were absent from New Delhi in September.
Instead of Xi, like three months ago, it was Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang who represented Beijing on this occasion.
This virtual G20 meeting is the last to be organized under India’s presidency as Brazil will take over the leadership of the bloc from December 1.
With information from EFE.