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Fate of G20 meeting rests on Indonesian diplomacy
Analysts say they expect follow-up discussions on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's peace mission while also fearing the endeavour could still be disrupted by protests against Russia.
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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) and Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi speak as they sign a bilateral cooperation deal at the Pancasila Building in Jakarta on Dec. 14, 2021. The two ministers are expected to meet again at the Group of 20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bali on July 7-8. (AFP)
Indonesia will need to sharpen its diplomatic skills for the Group of 20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting later this week to ensure productivity, experts have said, as 20 top diplomats from around the world descend on Bali to address several geopolitical concerns hindering global recovery efforts.
The Bali meeting is likely to become the first G20 forum to constructively address the war in Ukraine. It will take place a week after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s peace mission to Ukraine and Russia, where he sought to untangle a blockade resulting from a war that has killed thousands of people and disrupted global food supply chains.
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi confirmed recently that the meeting this Thursday and Friday would include her counterparts from all G20 member states, in addition to representatives from 10 non-member countries and 10 international organizations.
Among them is Ukraine, whose Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will address the G20 forum in a prerecorded speech, according to Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia Vasyl Haminin on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, G20 member Russia’s top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, who said late last week that a new “iron curtain” was descending between Russia and the West after Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine, will also participate in the meeting, Reuters reported.
Read also: Lavrov to join G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali
In Bali, over 900 security personnel have been deployed in preparation for the quickly approaching event. Despite a tumultuous beginning infused with boycott threats from countries opposing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attendance at the November summit, the G20 has made a favorable comeback, with most countries now open to attending the meetings regardless of Russian presence.
