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EU’s Michel praises Jokowi’s G20 leadership, cites ‘positive’ development
The European Council president said an agreement regarding the Group of 20 statement had been reached at a preliminary meeting.
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European Council President Charles Michel arrives for the G20 Leaders' Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Nov. 15. (Reuters/Willy Kurniawan/Pool)
European Council President Charles Michel commended President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s leadership on Tuesday, saying that there had been a “positive” development in the Group of 20 sherpa-level meeting prior to the leaders’ summit in Bali.
“I would like first to congratulate President Widodo for his wise leadership. The fact that we have arrived at an agreement on the statement at the sherpa level is an achievement in its own right,” Michel said in a live-streamed press conference on Tuesday morning ahead of the G20 Summit.
He did not detail what the sherpas' agreement had entailed, and any statement would need to be confirmed by the leaders of the G20.
The summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday and Wednesday marks the first time the G20 leaders are meeting since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s objection to any condemnation of the war and China’s support for Moscow have raised concerns that the Bali summit could be the first to fail to agree on a joint statement, as western leaders seek to rally support for Kyiv and condemn Moscow.
Prior to the summit, the G20 ministers' meetings had failed to produce joint communiqués because of disagreements between Russia and other members on language, including on how to describe the war in Ukraine.
Michel acknowledged that the G20 Summit was taking place in a “very different world” from last year’s in Rome and said he shared Jokowi’s view on the importance of a successful summit.
