G20 meet Live updates: China to maintain contacts with Russia at all levels, says Qin Gang

China will maintain communication and coordination with Russia at all levels, Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Thursday at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 (G20) nations in New Delhi.

On the Ukraine crisis, Qin told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that China supports all efforts to promote peace talks and is willing to play a constructive role in this regard, according to a statement posted by the Chinese foreign ministry. (Reuters)

Top diplomats from the Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations ended their contentious meeting in New Delhi on Thursday with no consensus on the Ukraine war, India’s foreign minister said, as discussions of the war and China's widening global influence dominated much of the talks.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said there were “divergences” on the issue of the war in Ukraine “which we could not reconcile as various parties held differing views.”

“If we had a perfect meeting of minds on all issues, it would have been a collective statement,” Jaishankar said. He added that members agreed on most issues involving the concerns of less-developed nations, “like strengthening multilateralism, promoting food and energy security, climate change, gender issues and counterterrorism.”

Host India had appealed for all members of the fractured Group of 20 to reach consensus on issues of particular concern to poorer countries even if the broader East-West split over Ukraine could not be resolved. And while others, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, chose to highlight their roles in addressing world crises, the divide was palpable.

Last week, India was forced to issue a chair’s summary at the conclusion of a G-20 finance ministers' meeting after Russia and China objected to a joint communique that retained language on the war in Ukraine drawn directly from last year’s G-20 leaders summit declaration in Indonesia.

Thursday's talks began with a video address to the foreign ministers by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He urged them not to allow current tensions to destroy agreements that might be reached on food and energy security, climate change and debt.

“We are meeting at a time of deep global divisions,” Modi told the group, which included Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and their Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, saying their discussions would naturally be “affected by the geopolitical tensions of the day.”

“We all have our positions and our perspectives on how these tensions should be resolved,” he said. “We should not allow issues that we cannot resolve together to come in the way of those we can.”

In a nod to fears that the increasingly bitter rift between the United States and its allies on one side and Russia and China on the other appears likely to widen further, Modi said that "multilateralism is in crisis today.” (AP)

On China, EAM S Jaishankar said that there are issues that need to be looked at and discussed very openly and candidly between us.

"The thrust of the meeting was on our bilateral relationship and the challenges in it especially that of peace and tranquility in border areas," he said.

He also said, "Bulk of my conversation with China's foreign minister concerned our bilateral relationship. I have previously describe the India-China relationship as abnormal and I used the word in my conversation with the minister."

Earlier in the day, EAM S Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang during the G20 meet.

Speaking on the issues discussed, EAM S Jaishankar said, "I said in one session today that for the Global South, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is a make-or-break issue," adding 2 paragraphs of the Chair's Summary did not find consensus among the G20 members.

Speaking on the issues discussed, EAM S Jaishankar said that the G20 delegations came to an agreement on a very large number of issues including climate action, biodiversity, gender issues, new emerging technologies, etc.

"I don't want to put a percentage on how many issues there was a consensus. If we had had a perfect meeting of minds, we would have had a joint communique. But there were divergences and these concerned the Ukraine conflict," MEA added.

Stating that G20 foreign ministers unequivocally condemned terrorism, EAM S Jaishankar added 20 foreign ministers urged developed countries to fulfill their financial commitments and were able to come to a consensus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

"We have had two rounds of meetings today among G20 finance ministers. The ministers have agreed to issue a common position after arriving at a consensus on many issues": EAM S Jaishankar.

“We have had two rounds of meetings today among G20 finance ministers. The ministers have agreed to issue a common position after arriving at a consensus on many issues": EAM S Jaishankar.

EAM S Jaishankar while breifing media at the G20 Meet said that this is the largest gathering of foreign ministers hosted by any G20 presidency.

Speaking at the G20 meet, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, “It is high time to reform the UN Security Council,” adding, “It is in the UN charter that every state must adhere to the sovereignty & territorial integrity of any other state.”

Apart from this, he said, “This invasion (of Ukraine as per the West) reflects the reaction to the war the West was preparing for many years and that is why it was arming the Ukrainian regime.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Thursday for the G20 to bridge differences over Ukraine, telling the opening of a meeting in New Delhi that global governance has "failed".

"The experience of the last few years -- financial crisis, climate change, pandemic, terrorism and wars -- clearly shows that global governance has failed," PM Modi said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded at a Group of 20 meetings attended by Russia that Moscow renew a deal to allow exports of Ukrainian grain.

"Russia has deliberately and systematically slowed its pace of inspections, creating a backlog of ships that could be delivering food to the world today," Blinken said, adding, “It is imperative the G20 speak up on behalf of extending and expanding the grain initiative to strengthen food security for the most vulnerable.”

A Group of 20 (G20) meeting of foreign ministers in India has been marred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday. "Unfortunately, this meeting has again been marred by Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine," Blinken said, adding that G20 countries must continue to call on Russia to withdraw from Ukraine.

With the foreign ministers of the Group of 20 leading economies meeting Thursday in New Delhi, host India is promoting itself as a rising superpower while leveraging its position on the global stage to bridge the gap between the West and Russia.

Experts expect India to be at the center of bitter global divisions, particularly over Russia’s war in Ukraine. But it's also an opportunity for the South Asian nation to position itself as the voice of the Global South and as a potential mediator between the West and Moscow.

No group can claim global leadership without listening to those most affected by its decisions. India's G20 Presidency has tried to give a voice to the Global South.We should not allow issues that we cannot resolve together to come in the way of those we can, says PM Modi

The G20 has a critical role to play in finding the right balance between growth and efficiency on one hand and resilience on the other, says PM Modi

Let us remind ourselves that this grouping bears an exceptional responsibility. We first came together in the midst of a global crisis and are today once again actually confronting multiple ones.

These include the impact of the COVID pandemic, concerns of fragile supply chains, the knock-on effects of ongoing conflicts, anxiety of debt crisis and disruption of climate events, says EAM Dr S Jaishankar at G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Delhi

In considering these issues, we may not all always be of one mind. In fact, there are some matters of sharp differences of opinions and views. Yet, we must find common ground and provide direction because that is what the world expects of us: EAM at G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting

I welcome you to India for G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting. It signals the need for unity, a purpose and unity of action. I hope that your meeting today will reflect the spirit of coming together for achieving common & concrete objectives: PM 

We must all acknowledge that multilateralism is in crisis today. The architecture of the global governance created after the Second world war was to prevent future wars by balancing competing interests & second to foster international cooperation on issues of common interest

EAM Dr S Jaishankar welcomes Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar welcomes Foreign Minister of China Qin Gang at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Delhi

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar welcomes foreign delegates at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang arrives in India to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Foreign minister of Indonesia Retno Marsudi arrives in India to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala , Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) arrives in India to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan arrives in India to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Croatia’s Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman arrives in India to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Russia is satisfied to see the potential of India's G 20 presidency, echoing Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy and highlighting people's unity, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken said Wednesday he had no plans to meet his Russian or Chinese counterparts at a G20 foreign ministers' meeting, as Ukraine and China tensions overshadow attempts by host India to forge unity among the world's biggest economies.

The gathering in New Delhi on Thursday will be the first time US Secretary of State Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have been in the same room since a G20 meeting in Bali last July.

"If Russia... were genuinely prepared to engage in meaningful diplomacy necessary to end the aggression, of course we'd be the first to work to engage, but there's zero evidence of that," Blinken told reporters ahead of his Wednesday arrival in Delhi.

A day ahead of a crucial G20 meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday evening hosted a welcome dinner for the foreign ministers attending the deliberations but the reception was missed by his counterparts from the US, China, Germany and France.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese foreign Qin Gang, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and France's Catherine Colonna had not landed in Delhi when the reception began at around 7 pm at a luxury hotel in Delhi.

Russia said on Wednesday it would only agree to extend the Black Sea grain deal, which allows grain to be safely exported from Ukrainian ports, if the interests of its own agricultural producers are taken into account.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last year, expires on March 18 and cannot be extended unless all parties agree. Russia has already signalled it is unhappy with aspects of the deal.

Russia's agricultural exports have not been explicitly targeted by Western sanctions, but Moscow says restrictions on its payments, logistics and insurance industries are a "barrier" to it being able to export its own grains and fertilisers.

Moscow's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had discussed the prospects for renewing the deal at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart on the sidelines of the G20 in New Delhi.

"(The) Russian side stressed that continuing the package agreement on grain is possible only if the interests of Russian agricultural and fertiliser producers in terms of unhindered access to world markets are taken into account," the ministry said in a statement. (Reuters)

As United States Secretary of State Antony J Blinken is set to arrive in India on Wednesday, State Department Spokesperson Zed Tarar on Wednesday said that the motive of G20 is to bring all big economies together at one table and discuss how the countries can grow.

"The main motive of G20 is to bring all big economies together at one table and discuss how the countries can grow and deliberate on various other issues of the world," he said while talking to ANI.

Talking about Indo-Pacific, Tarar said, "We have to keep our relationship strong with Indo-Pacific. We have to work together. The US Government is working towards making policy for the public."

He also said that Blinken will visit today's evening, attend the G20 dinner, and participate in Foreign Ministers Meet and Raisina Dialogue.

When asked about the suspected Chinese spy balloon and the reaction of China after US shot down it, State Department Spokesperson said, "I think Biden has given the firm answer to China and you have seen that State Department Secretary Antony Blinken's scheduled visit to China was also cancelled. Biden had also shot down a Chinese balloon which was flying over the US territory for a brief period of time."

Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine war, Tarar said that US does not support the war and for this America is putting pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Tarar recalled US President Joe Biden's statement in Kyiv and said, "Joe Biden in a clear voice said that we don't support the Russia- Ukraine war for which we are continuing pressure on Putin. We are also supporting Ukraine."

Recently, the Russia-Ukraine conflict marks its first anniversary on February 24, 2023. (ANI)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that he has no plans to meet either the foreign ministers of Russia or of China during the Group of 20 (G20) meeting in New Delhi.

Blinken was on a brief tour of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and will head to the Indian capital for the G20 meeting, where Moscow's invasion of Ukraine will be an important part of discussions.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang are attending the meeting.

"No plans to see either (China or Russia's foreign ministers) at the G20, although I suspect that we will certainly be in group sessions of one kind or another together," Blinken told reporters in the Uzbek capital.

A Russian foreign ministry official said Lavrov was aiming to meet at least seven foreign ministers before India hosts a welcome dinner on Wednesday for delegates from 40 countries. The main G20 meetings will be held on Thursday.

During his trip to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Blinken met with counterparts from all five Central Asian countries that used to be ruled from Moscow and have strong trade links with Beijing, ahead of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting.

The United States is engaged in continuous diplomatic activity to rally the world to oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began more than a year ago. (Reuters)

The year-long Russian war in Ukraine took centrestage on the eve of a G20 foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday with the European Union foreign policy chief saying the success of the gathering in New Delhi would be measured by what it could do about the war and its impact.

Russia said it would use the meeting to tell the world who, according to Moscow, was responsible for the political and economic crises the world finds itself in.

The foreign ministers meeting comes days after a meeting of finance chiefs of G20 countries in Bengaluru which was also overshadowed by Russia's war in Ukraine.

Delegates at the Bengaluru meeting wrangled over condemning Russia for the war, failed to reach a consensus on a joint statement and settled instead for a summary document. (Reuters)

India on Wednesday highlighted the use of crypto-currencies in spreading terrorism across nations and asserted that crypto will form one constituent of countering terrorism at the G20 deliberations.

Speaking at a special briefing on G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said, "What we expect from tomorrow's meet is a clear, strong all-encompassing message on the problem of terrorism on its challenges and the need for the G20 countries to come together to fight, address and defeat it comprehensively. Naturally, crypto will form one constituent of it."

Gurugram police have arrested one person in connection with a case related to theft of flower pots set up for the G20 event, police said on Wednesday. Earlier a video had earlier gone viral on social media, which showed two people purportedly stealing the flower pots kept on the Delhi-Gurugram expressway. The accused has been identified as one 50-year-old Manmohan, a resident of Gurugram. "Police seized the stolen flower pots and the car used in the theft," said Gurugram police.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly says India's G20 presidency is quite exciting, it has fantastic opportunities. This is a great opportunity to talk about sustainable economic agenda and green agend.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday refused to speculate on whether the G20 foreign ministers' meeting would be able to come out with a joint communique in the backdrop of widening differences between the West and Russia on the Ukraine conflict.

The two-day G20 foreign ministers meeting begins this evening and the main discussions will take place on Thursday.

"It would not be correct to prejudge the outcome of the meeting," Kwatra said at a press conference.

The venue of G20 FMM is Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center. Overall 40 delegations -- Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, European Union, France, Germany, India as host, Indonesia both as immediate past president and ASEAN chair, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US (all G20 member countries) -- are expected to participate in the meeting.

Foreign Secy Vinay Kwatra said, “India's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict is that 'This isn't an era of war'. Dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward. The agenda is for the foreign ministers to discuss in the meet”

The Russia-Ukraine conflict will be an important point of discussion when the foreign ministers from around the world meet during Thursday's Group of 20 (G20) gathering in New Delhi, India's foreign secretary said. “Given developing situation of Russia-Ukraine, naturally, it'll be important point of discussion during Foreign ministers meet. Foreign ministers will be focusing on Russia-Ukraine situation, it'll be important to what they come out with, what understanding is developed,” he said.
He further added, “Issues of the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the world including economic impact and impact on development will also be focused upon in the meeting,”

As per Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, G20 foreign ministers' meet to deliberate on multilateralism, food and energy security, development cooperation, counter-terrorism. What we expect from tomorrow's foreign minister meeting is a very clear, strong and all-encompassing message on problem of terrorism and need for G20 countries to fight against it together. Larger challenge of counter-terrorism & narco-terrorism will be in focus

During the Foreign Ministers meeting tomorrow, EAM will be chairing two session of the foreign ministries meeting. First session will focus on multilateralism, issues related to food and energy. Second session will focus on four or five key issues including new and emerging threats includes counter terrorism and narcotics, global skill mapping, focus on global talent pools

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, “We understand that the Japanese Foreign Minister is not able to come because of his domestic compulsions but we are looking forward to a very active participation, active support in consultation with the Japanese delegation that is coming"

India on Wednesday emphasised on multilateral action rather than bilateral coordination to ensure faster extradition of fugitive economic offenders and recovery of stolen assets from abroad during the anti-corruption working group meeting of G20 nations. In the inaugural session, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said the corrupt find a way to park their proceeds of crime and “it is such money that is pushed into evil activities”.

“This is one of the major sources of terror funding. From illegal drugs that destroy young lives to human trafficking, from weakening democracies to sale of illegal arms, this dirty money funds many destructive enterprises,” he said. Singh said there is a need for the global community to work even faster for the recovery of assets through proactive sharing of information between the G20 countries.

In a special briefing by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, he said, G20 foreign ministers meet under India's G20 presidency will be held tomorrow. 

"This would be second ministerial meeting held under our presidency. The venue will be Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center. 40 delegations expected to participate,” he said.

EAM S Jaishankar met Foreign minister of Mexico Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign ministers meet