Ukraine Crisis Dominates G20 Summit

The participating countries of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, including Russia, condemned the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine, which “brings great human suffering” and contributed to the fragility of the global economy, after a frenzy of rising food and fuel prices. The final draft of the summit called for an extension of the agreement with Russia allowing the export of Ukrainian grain. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, before the start of the summit meeting via video link, called for an end to the “destructive war” waged by Russia. The summit’s draft final statement showed that participating countries, including Russia, would condemn the economic consequences of a war with Ukraine, which most member states would condemn. The draft statement calls for an extension of the agreement with Russia, which expires on Saturday. allowing the export of Ukrainian grain. “This year we have also witnessed an additional negative impact of the war in Ukraine on the global economy,” the project says, adding that the countries participating in the summit “emphasized our national positions” and “most member states strongly condemn the war in Ukraine… it causes enormous human suffering and exacerbates the fragility of the global economy in the first place.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the opening of the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday: “The time has come to end the destructive war waged by Russia. “I am convinced that now is the time when Russia’s destructive war must and can be stopped,” he said in a video message in Ukrainian, adding: “This will save thousands of lives.” Zelensky said the war must end “justly and on the basis of the UN Charter and international law” and called for the restoration of “radiation safety” for the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, as well as restrictions on Russian energy prices and an expansion of the grain export initiative, as well as a call for release of all Ukrainian prisoners. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began eight months ago, caused a catastrophic rise in world food and fuel prices, pushing millions of people into poverty and increasing the likelihood of starvation for some. Ukraine is one of the largest grain producers in the world, and after the Russian invasion, 20 million tons of grain were suspended in its ports until the United Nations and Turkey sponsored an agreement in July that provides safe passage for cargo, and the duration of this agreement expires Saturday, and the draft statement called for “continuation of its implementation” in full and on time.