Russia says West ‘destabilised’ G20 talks, tried to force joint statement on Ukraine

G20 Finance Ministers failed to agree a joint statement on the global economy at talks in India, after China sought to water down references to the Ukraine conflict

A Russian delegate attends the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting on the outskirts of Bengaluru on February 24, 2023. Photo: PIB India via Reuters

Russia on February 25 accused the West of destabilising the G20 Finance Ministers’ meeting in India by trying to force through a joint statement on Ukraine that stalled because of disagreements.

"We regret that the activities of the G20 continue to be destabilised by the Western collective and used in an anti-Russian... way," the Foreign Ministry said.

Moscow accused the United States, the European Union and the G7 nations of having "disrupted the adoption of collective decisions" by trying to impose their "diktat" by what they said was "clear blackmail".

Their aim had been to impose their interpretation of the Ukraine conflict in the joint statement by means of lobbying and "ultimatums", said the ministry statement.

The ministry called on the West to "renounce its destructive policy as soon as possible, to acknowledge the objective realities of a multipolar world".

"The G20 must remain an economic forum rather than encroaching on the security sphere," it said.

G20 Finance Ministers failed Saturday to agree a joint statement on the global economy at talks in India, after China sought to water down references to the Ukraine conflict.

Instead, current G20 president India issued a "chair's summary" which said "most members strongly condemned" the conflict and that there were "different assessments of the situation and sanctions" at the two-day meeting in Bengaluru.

A footnote said two paragraphs in the summary about the conflict, which it said were adapted from the G20 Bali Leaders' Declaration in November, "were agreed to by all member countries except Russia and China".