G-20 leaders push for end to Ukraine war as Bali summit concludes

By Merve Aydogan

BALI, Indonesia (AA) – Leaders of the G-20 brought their summit in Indonesia to a close on Wednesday after detailed discussions on an array of issues, including the war in Ukraine, global energy crisis, and the growing challenge of global food security.

The summit’s closing statement offered a strong denunciation of the war raging in Ukraine since February, calling for Russia’s “complete and unconditional withdrawal.”

“Today’s era must not be of war,” read a joint declaration that emphasized the need “to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability.”

Leaders of the world’s largest economies kicked off the summit on Tuesday with sessions on the food and energy crises, followed by a discussion on ways to enhance global health systems.

The summit’s second and last day was dominated by the missile incident in Poland, where two people were killed in an explosion in a village near the Ukrainian border.

There were several high-profile bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the gathering on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, not least the first face-to-face meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also held bilateral talks with leaders of various countries, including the US, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.

According to local sources, the summit was attended by more than 2,300 accredited personnel from at least 450 international media outlets.

The next three G-20 summits will take place in India, Brazil, and South Africa over the coming three years.

The African Union’s inclusion in the G-20 will be considered at next year’s gathering in India, according to Senegal’s President Macky Sall, who is also the African bloc’s current chairperson.