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Indonesia says Ukraine war discussed in almost all bilateral G20 meetings
Retno, in remarks as chair of the gathering in Bali, praised G20 counterparts for attending in person amid global tensions over the impacts of the Ukraine war, decisions she said should not be taken lightly.
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Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (right) welcomes US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) during the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on July 8, 2022.
(AFP/Willy Kurniawan)
The Ukraine war was discussed at almost all bilateral meetings at this week's G20 event, where some participants condemned Russia's invasion and urged an immediate end to hostilities through diplomacy and talks, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Friday.
Retno, in remarks as chair of the gathering in Bali, praised G20 counterparts for attending in person amid global tensions over the impacts of the Ukraine war, decisions she said should not be taken lightly.
She also said food and energy security and the reintegration of Ukraine and Russia's grain and fertilizer into supply chains was critical.
Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was not present for much of the afternoon session of a G20 meeting on Friday and left the room after giving his remarks, the European Union's foreign policy chief said.
Josep Borrell told reporters Lavrov spoke and did not wait to hear other remarks, in conduct that was "not very respectful". Lavrov had earlier chided Western countries for what he described as "frenzied criticism" of Russia.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday told the G20 foreign ministers meeting that if the grouping is to remain relevant, it must hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine, a senior US State Department official said.
Blinken challenged the member countries to hold Russia accountable and stressed the need to move a global food plan forward, the official said, adding that Russia was trying to undermine multilateral institutions that the United States was seeking to strengthen.
A Western official who attended the meeting said that the gathering demonstrated consensus behind the demand that Russia lift a blockade of Ukrainian grain exports.
"We hope a result of this meeting is that Russia sees how widespread the consensus is on the need to make progress on grain issue," said the official, adding it showed there was value in the G20 convening, but it remained to be seen if it would produce changes.
