US Secretary of State defends G20 declaration that disappointed Ukraine

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Sunday [10 September] defended the G20 leaders' declaration on Russia's war against Ukraine, over which officials in Kyiv had expressed disappointment.

Source: Blinken during an interview with CNN, as reported by European Pravda 

"The G20 countries in the statement all stood up for the importance of territorial integrity, sovereignty - and that's very clear," Blinken said.

"I was in the room when all the leaders spoke today with President Biden, and it was very clear from everything that they said that they not only want to see this war end, but they want it end on just and durable terms.

And it was also very clear that the consequences of Russian aggression are being felt throughout the G20 countries and throughout the developing world," Blinken added.

He stressed that "it is very important that the G20 spoke as one".

The group's declaration this year did not name Russia by name as an aggressor, but affirmed that "all countries must refrain from actions against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was involved in the negotiations on the text of the declaration that led to its final version.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry criticised Saturday's G20 communiqué, describing the document as having "nothing to be proud of" in terms of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The agreed statement stressed the inadmissibility of the use of nuclear weapons against the backdrop of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

The G20 meeting also called for the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was disrupted by Russia.

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