Another reflection of divisions at international fora: U.N. chief's spokesperson on no joint communique over Ukraine at G20 FMs meeting

The meeting failed to come out with a joint communique due to a sharp rift between the West and Russia over the Ukraine conflict despite efforts by host India to bridge the differences

Leadres of G20 countries, including EAM S. Jaishankar, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, U.S. Secratary of State Antony Blinken attend G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on March 2, 2023. | Photo Credit: ANI

The failure of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting to come out with a joint communique over the Ukraine conflict is not a reflection on India’s efforts as host but of the “divisions" seen among countries in the international fora, a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

India as President of the G20 hosted the Foreign Ministers Meeting on Thursday in New Delhi, attended by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang among counterparts from other G20 nations.

The meeting failed to come out with a joint communique due to a sharp rift between the West and Russia over the Ukraine conflict despite efforts by host India to bridge the differences.

Mr. Blinken told a press conference in New Delhi that Russia and China were the two countries that did not support a joint communique at the meeting.

“Well, we are not a party to the meeting. I think this is obviously in no way a reflection on the hosts, and on the efforts of India as the host of the G20. Since we're not at the table, it is not for us to proportion, blame and to analyse where the issue may be. It is yet however another reflection of the divisions we see in a number of international fora,” Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing on Thursday.

Mr. Dujarric was responding to a question on the conclusion of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting without a joint communique and Washington putting the blame for this on Moscow and Beijing.

On the sidelines of the G20 meeting, Mr. Blinken and Mr. Lavrov spoke briefly face to face-for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine a year ago.

“I told the Russian Foreign Minister that no matter what else is happening in the world and our relationship, the U.S. will always be ready to engage and act on strategic arms control just as the U.S. and the Soviet Union did at the height of the Cold War,” Mr. Blinken said.

In response to a question on how the Secretary-General sees the Blinken-Lavrov meeting, Mr. Dujarric said: “On one hand we didn't see an agreement, joint agreement or joint statement, on the other hand, any opportunity for direct dialogue between the Russian Federation and the U.S. is to be welcomed.

“But I have no more insight into what was said. But we always believe direct discussions and face-to-face discussions are best,” Mr. Dujarric said.