In a New Delhi Leaders' Declaration issued on Saturday, the G20 nations conveyed that the "use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapons is inadmissible", with the statement being notably brief regarding Russia's actions in Ukraine and devoid of direct condemnation of Moscow.
The international coalition simply urged for a "comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine" and emphasised to member nations the importance of refraining from "the threat, or use of force, to seek territorial acquisition".
The G20 declaration that succeeded the summit in Indonesia the previous year was more specific, referencing a United Nations resolution condemning in "strongest terms... aggression by Russian Federation against Ukraine".
Ukraine, which was invaded in February of the previous year, found only three mentions in this year's 37-page declaration, a document that India's G20 sherpa, Amitabh Kant, asserted had attained unanimous agreement.
The G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration is perceived as a significant step back by Western countries, who were previously noted for advocating for robust language concerning Ukraine and Russia's involvement in the conflict.
This compromise implies that the G20's stance on the conflict remains largely in line with what was established in Indonesia the previous year. At that time, "most members strongly condemned the war" and the world's influential coalition had to recognise that "there (are) other views and different assessments of the situation".
Under the leadership of Indian negotiators, the G20 2023 declaration instead "reaffirmed that the G20 is a premier forum for international economic cooperation... not the platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues".
