The world’s major economies have shown waning solidarity with Ukraine, issuing a G20 joint declaration that softened previous criticisms of Russia’s invasion. The statement offered only a general acknowledgment of the “human suffering” caused by Moscow’s 1,000-day war, omitting stronger language used in past communiqués.
The leaders of the G20 — which includes key Ukrainian allies such as the US, UK, France, and Germany — met in Rio de Janeiro and endorsed a statement referencing the “negative impacts” of the war while supporting efforts for a “comprehensive, just, and durable peace.” However, this year’s communiqué contained just one paragraph on the Ukraine conflict, compared to seven in last year’s New Delhi statement. Notably absent were condemnations of nuclear threats, calls to protect food and energy infrastructure, and the assertion that “today’s era must not be of war” — language championed by Western nations in 2022.
This softer stance comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces mounting pressure from some Western allies to consider peace negotiations, despite Russian forces occupying roughly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory. The pressure partly reflects anticipation of Donald Trump potentially regaining the US presidency. Trump has pledged to end the war swiftly and threatened to cut military aid to Kyiv if it refuses talks with Russia.
Negotiations over the language on Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East stretched into the final days of the summit, highlighting divisions between Western members and countries like Russia, China, and other developing nations allied with Moscow. Some European nations sought tougher wording following a major Russian missile and drone attack on civilian targets in Ukraine, but ultimately backed down to avoid derailing the entire declaration.
“The language on Ukraine is not as strong as we hoped,” admitted a senior diplomat from a Western G20 member. A European delegate added, “There’s nothing on the latest attacks, but pushing further would have risked no statement at all.”
Beyond Ukraine, the Rio declaration emphasized host Brazil’s priorities, including calls for taxing the ultra-wealthy, reducing poverty, reforming the UN Security Council, and achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. It also reiterated last year’s call for climate financing to expand from billions to trillions of dollars. However, the absence of commitments to phasing out fossil fuels drew criticism from diplomats at the COP climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The communiqué faced objections from Argentina’s President Javier Milei, a right-wing libertarian and Trump ally, who criticized sections addressing hunger and state intervention. Despite this, the document was endorsed by all G20 members.