Indonesia at G20 Summit calls for 'settling differences' over Russia-Ukraine conflict

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Friday called on his international counterparts at the G20 meeting to "find ways" for a concrete resolution to resolve the four-month-long running Russian war in Ukraine. In her opening address, Marsudi emphasised that it is important to end the war in Ukraine "sooner than later" given the mounting atrocities and devastation in the east European country. She also noted the grave ripple effect of the ongoing conflict, which has led humanitarian organisations to flag warnings of an imminent global food crisis.

"It is our responsibility to end the war sooner than later and settle our differences at the negotiating table, not the battlefield," the Indonesian FM said, as quoted by The Guardian.

"The ripple effects are being felt globally on food, energy, and fiscal space," she added.

Retno Marsudi also noted the crippling impact of the war on low-income and developing nations.

For the unversed, the G20 convention is currently underway in Bali in the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Notably, this is the first time that any Russian official is attending a global forum since the onset of the Ukraine invasion on February 24. The topic of the war overshadowed many other aspects, including contemporary issues and the strengthening of multilateralism in the annual G20 troika meeting. Interestingly, Lavrov will be in the same room as some of the staunchest critics of the war.

Lavrov meets EAM Jaishankar on sidelines of G20 FMs Meeting

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S Jaishankar on Friday met with his Russian counterpart, Lavrov. According to a briefing on the session updated by Jaishankar on his Twitter handle, both leaders deliberated on intense issues including bilateral trade, conflict in Europe and the staggering humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. The diplomats also shared mutual concerns on other matters of common contemporary and international issues. EAM Jaishankar also held a series of bilateral meetings with his G20 counterparts. This comes as India is set to assume the presidency of the group in December 2022.

It is pertinent to mention here that India has remained a strong supporter of peace and cessation of violence in eastern Europe but refrained from deploring Russia over the war. On several occasions, India underscored its neutrality on what the West calls a "geopolitical crisis," while calling for the immediate end of atrocities toward the civilian population. Despite frowns from the West, India continued to take bold steps in order to reiterate its non-association to the war such as inked oil deals with Russia at a rebate to meet domestic demands amid skyrocketing fuel prices. India also refused to end the $5.43 billion agreement (signed in October 2018) on the purchase of S-400 missile defence systems.

(Image: AP)