NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) 鈥� Members of the Group of 20 leading economies ended their summit Wednesday with a declaration of firm condemnation of and a warning that the conflict is making an already delicate world economy worse.
The summit's closing statement was noteworthy because world leaders managed to highlight a denunciation of the war despite the divisions among the group, which includes not only Russia but also countries such as China and India that have significant trade ties with Moscow and have stopped short of outright criticism of the war.
鈥淢ost members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy,鈥� the statement said.
The use of the words 鈥渕ost members鈥� was a telling sign of the divisions, as was an acknowledgement that 鈥渢here were other views and different assessments鈥� and that the G-20 is 鈥渘ot the forum to resolve security issues.鈥�
Even so, the statement's use of language from a March U.N. resolution that deplored 鈥渋n the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine鈥� and demanded 鈥渋ts complete and unconditional withdrawal" from Ukrainian territory was a 鈥渂ig breakthrough,鈥� according to John Kirton, director of the G20 Research Group.
鈥淗ere the G-20 left no doubt about who it knew had started the war and how it should end,鈥� he said in an interview. He noted an 鈥渁ctive shift鈥� by China and India, which joined the "democratic side of the great immediate geopolitical divide.鈥�
The conflict in Ukraine loomed large over the two-day summit held on the tropical island of Bali in Indonesia.
prompted U.S. President Joe Biden to hastily arrange an emergency meeting with G-7 and NATO members at the summit. Biden said it was 鈥渦nlikely鈥� Russia fired the missile but added: 鈥淚鈥檓 going to make sure we find out exactly what happened.鈥�
Poland and NATO's head said later Wednesday the missile strike appeared to be unintentional and was probably launched by air defenses in Ukraine as Russia was bombarding the country in an attack that savaged its power grid. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, disputed the preliminary findings and asked for further investigation. Russia denied involvement.
Biden was joined at the G-20 by leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend.
On Tuesday, Russia pounded Ukrainian cities with dozens of missile strikes in its biggest barrage yet on the country鈥檚 energy facilities, which have been repeatedly struck as winter approaches.
Sunak, speaking to reporters at the close of the meeting, called the attacks "the cruel and unrelenting reality of Putin's war.鈥�
鈥淲hile other world leaders were working together to tackle the greatest challenges our people face, Putin was launching indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Ukraine,鈥� Sunak said.
The war, he added, will 鈥渃ontinue to devastate the global economy."
The careful wording of the final G-20 statement reflected tensions at the gathering and the challenge faced by the United States and its allies as they try to isolate Putin鈥檚 government. Several G-20 members, including host Indonesia, are wary of becoming entangled in disputes between bigger powers.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo told reporters that the portion of the declaration dealing with the war was the most contentious part of the negotiations and that discussions were 鈥渧ery, very tough.鈥�
The final product was seen by some as a strong rebuke of a war that has killed thousands, heightened global security tensions and disrupted the world economy.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the G-20 summit鈥檚 鈥渟urprisingly clear words鈥� on Ukraine 鈥渨ouldn鈥檛 have been possible if important countries hadn鈥檛 helped us to come together this way 鈥� that includes India and it also includes, for example, South Africa.鈥�
鈥淭his is something which shows that there are many in the world who don鈥檛 think this war is right, who condemn it, even if they abstained in the votes at the United Nations for various reasons,鈥� Scholz said. 鈥淎nd I am sure that this is one of the results of this summit: the Russian president stands almost alone in the world with his policy.鈥�
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who led the Russian delegation in place of Putin, denounced the Biden administration push to condemn Moscow.
China's support for a public statement critical of Russia surprised some.
Beijing likely did so because Chinese President Xi Jinping 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 want to back a loser" after Russia's defeat in the Ukrainian city of Kherson, said Kirton, the analyst. 鈥淗e knows he needs G-20 cooperation to address the many growing vulnerabilities that China now confronts,鈥� from climate change to the pandemic to the nation's 鈥渇inancial fragility of its over-leveraged housing and property markets.鈥�
The G-20 was founded in 1999 originally as a forum to address economic challenges. It includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union. Spain holds a permanent guest seat.
The 16-page statement also expressed deep concern on a range of issues, including food and energy crises made worse by the war in Ukraine.
The leaders said that amid food shortages and rising prices they鈥檇 take 鈥渦rgent actions to save lives, prevent hunger and malnutrition, particularly to address the vulnerabilities of developing countries.鈥�
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope that a vital deal brokered by Turkey and the U.N. to export Ukrainian grain would be extended before it expires Sunday.
The July deal allowed major grain producer Ukraine to resume exports from ports that had been largely blocked because of the war.
鈥淎s of now, I am of the opinion that the (grain agreement) will continue,鈥� Erdogan said. 鈥淎s soon as we return, we will continue our talks, especially with Mr. Putin. Because the way to peace is through dialogue.鈥�
The emergency meeting Wednesday included the leaders of the G-7, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union, along with the president of the European Council and the prime ministers of NATO allies Spain and the Netherlands.
Biden held a separate meeting later with Sunak, in their first extended conversation since the British leader took office last month.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to continue to support Ukraine as long as Russia continues their aggression,鈥� Biden said alongside Sunak, adding that he was 鈥済lad we鈥檙e on the same page鈥� in backing Ukraine.
Biden said the leaders condemned the latest Russian attacks, which have caused widespread blackouts.
鈥淭he moment when the world came together at the G-20 to urge de-escalation, Russia continues to escalate in Ukraine, while we鈥檙e meeting,鈥� Biden said.
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Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Zeke Miller and Niniek Karmini in Nusa Dua and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
Adam Schreck And Foster Klug, The Associated Press
