'G20 declaration major step in Biden’s efforts for peace in Ukraine conflict'

NEW DELHI: US President Joe Biden is engaging countries around the world to push for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war on the basis of principles of the UN Charter and the New Delhi G20 declaration is a “major step forward in this effort”, a senior US official said on Sunday.

Principal Deputy National Security Advisor of the White House Jon Finer told the media on board Air Force One that the joint statement issued yesterday builds on the Bali G20 declaration and UN resolutions to send “an unprecedented unified statement on the imperative that Russia refrains from using force for territorial acquisition” and abide by UN charter.

"The G20 Countries have signed up to the Bali language (declaration) last year and the vast majority of G20 countries have supported multiple UN resolutions that call out Russia's illegal aggression. The joint statement issued yesterday (in Delhi) builds on that to send an unprecedented unified statement on the imperative that Russia refrains from using force for territorial acquisition and abide by its obligations in the UN charter,” Finer said.

He said this is a strategy that the Biden administration has been adopting for some time now “to focus on countries in the world that are seeking an end to the conflict and make sure that they are pushing for peace on the basis of the four core principles of the UN Charter”.

Finer said major economies are united in calling on Russia to uphold international law.

“US President Joe Biden is engaging the countries around the world for that and this statement is a major step forward in this effort highlighting the major economies of the world, including Brazil, India and South Africa are united in calling on Russia to uphold and respect the international law," Finer said, answering queries from media persons.

Biden left for Vietnam from Delhi in the morning after attending the G20 Summit. PM Modi's "today's era isn't of war" message to Russian President Vladimir Putin in the backdrop of the Ukraine-Russia conflict found reflection in the G20 declaration.

The New Delhi G20 declaration said that in line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state and that the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.

“Concerning the war in Ukraine, while recalling the discussion in Bali, we reiterated our national positions and resolutions adopted at the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly and underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety,” it said.

“Reaffirming that the G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and recognizing that while the G20 is not the platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues, we acknowledge that these issues can have significant consequences for the global economy,” it added.

The G20 members appreciated the efforts of Türkiye and UN-brokered Istanbul Agreements consisting of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the Secretariat of the United Nations on Promoting Russian Food Products and Fertilizers to the World Markets and the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports (Black Sea Initiative), and called for their full, timely and effective implementation to ensure the immediate and unimpeded deliveries of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers/inputs from the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

“This is necessary to meet the demand in developing and least developed countries, particularly those in Africa. The leaders highlighted the human suffering and negative added impacts of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, supply chains, macro-financial stability, inflation and growth, which has complicated the policy environment for countries, especially developing and least developed countries which are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic disruption which has derailed progress towards the SDGs. “There were different views and assessments of the situation, the declaration said.

“We call on all states to uphold the principles of international law including territorial integrity and sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. The peaceful resolution of conflicts and efforts to address crises as well as diplomacy and dialogue are critical.

"We will unite in our endeavour to address the adverse impact of the war on the global economy and welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine that will uphold all the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter for the promotion of peaceful, friendly, and good neighbourly relations among nations in the spirit of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future,’” it said.

“Today’s era must not be of war,” the declaration added. The G20 Summit is being held in New Delhi and will conclude on Sunday.