Rio declaration? Battle lines drawn over wars in Ukraine, West Asia

Brazil has adopted the theme "Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet" for its presidency, with a focus on fighting hunger, poverty, and inequality

Geopolitics is expected to dominate the two-day G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, beginning Monday under Brazil’s presidency, with negotiators grappling to find a language acceptable to all member countries for a joint declaration. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Indonesia are pushing for explicit mention of Israel and a call for a ceasefire in the ongoing West Asia conflict, according to a G20 negotiator.

 

“Negotiations remain complex and are at a critical stage,” the negotiator said. “Nothing is finalised yet. Discussions are still ongoing on geopolitics, climate, and trade. Paragraphs on West Asia and Ukraine are still