The G20 Summit and the shift in global attitudes towards Ukraine
The statement made by world leaders at the end of the 2022 summit in Bali contrasts significantly from the one made at the end of the most recent G20 summit in India regarding Russia's war in Ukraine.
The New Delhi statement seemed to be endorsing Kyiv at first glance. It recognizes the agony the conflict has caused to people.
However, there is an odd omission at the centre of these passages: while actions are condemned, no accountability is given for them, Jennifer Mathers, an expert in international politics, writes for The Conversation
Matters adds that some observers point to changes in the global balance of political power as a result of this sharp shift in perception of the situation in Ukraine. Leading nations in the global south (developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America) have felt more empowered in recent years to seek out greater influence in international fora.
The world's purchasing power is mostly, and steadily, concentrated in the global south. According to the report, the G7, which is dominated by North America and Europe, is being outperformed by the BRICS, which are Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
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Russia's war in Ukraine is increasingly including this movement of political and economic power southward. Matters claims that the Biden administration has handed Modi a "win" in the form of a communiqué with unanimous support by compromising on the phrasing of the G20 statement.
Matters suggests that this action may be seen as a reflection of the United States' evolving geopolitical interests. She also notes that a lot of Americans think that supporting Ukraine is less vital than bolstering India as a counterbalance to China.
Recognising that India and other nations in the global south have quite different perspectives on Russia's war in Ukraine, the US has demonstrated tolerance and even humility. According to Matters, the US may find that people are more open to arguments about the necessity of opposing Russian aggression in Ukraine if it shows that it takes the political objectives of the global south seriously.
