Modi Calls Out Failure of G-20 to Find Solutions to Global Rifts

War in Ukraine overshadows gathering of leading diplomats from leading economies

· The group wasn’t accomplishing the main goals of global governance—preventing wars and fostering international cooperation on common issues—and the developing world is feeling it most.

· Both Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, attended the summit.

· Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had no plans to speak privately with his Russian or Chinese counterparts.

· India has maintained a neutral stance on the conflict and has continued to purchase discounted oil from Russia, rebuffing the Biden administration’s offer to replace Russian oil with U.S. supplies.

· G-20 finance ministers failed to agree on a joint statement on the global economy at talks in Bengaluru, India, after Russia and China rejected the characterization of the Ukraine war. Instead, the two-day meeting resulted only in what was described as a “chair’s summary,” which said “most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine” and that there were “different assessments of the situation and sanctions.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told leading diplomats from the Group of 20 advanced and developing economies that nations had failed to find solutions to growing global rifts, as they gathered in New Delhi for a summit overshadowed by the war in Ukraine.

Mr. Modi spoke at the outset of a summit that was intended to focus on global food and energy security, which has been strained by the conflict. As president of the G-20 this year, Mr. Modi warned Thursday that the group wasn’t accomplishing the main goals of global governance—preventing wars and fostering international cooperation on common issues—and the developing world is feeling it most.

“You are meeting at a time of deep global divisions,” Mr. Modi told the foreign ministers in a recorded message. “It is but natural that your discussions are affected by the geopolitical tensions of the day. We all have our positions and our perspectives on how these tensions should be resolved.”

The rifts created by Russia’s invasion were evident as diplomats met. U.S. officials said their top priority during Thursday’s meeting was to call Russia out for its war in Ukraine.

Both Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, attended the summit. Ahead of the meeting, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had no plans to speak privately with his Russian or Chinese counterparts.

Mr. Blinken held a series of meetings on the sidelines of Thursday’s gathering, including one with Mr. Modi. The U.S. also has differences with the host nation over the war. India has maintained a neutral stance on the conflict and has continued to purchase discounted oil from Russia, rebuffing the Biden administration’s offer to replace Russian oil with U.S. supplies.

Biden administration officials said India continues to buy oil well below the price cap agreed to by allies last year, but they said they understand the enormous domestic demand in India. Senior State Department officials acknowledged the growing challenges in the relationship with India and said they were holding discussions with their counterparts to try to find solutions.

Last week, G-20 finance ministers failed to agree on a joint statement on the global economy at talks in Bengaluru, India, after Russia and China rejected the characterization of the Ukraine war. Instead, the two-day meeting resulted only in what was described as a “chair’s summary,” which said “most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine” and that there were “different assessments of the situation and sanctions.”

While no meetings between the U.S. and Chinese diplomats were planned, administration officials said they are continuing to warn Beijing about the potential consequences of providing any lethal assistance to Russia, as well as over the recent incident in which the U.S. detected a Chinese surveillance balloon over the continental U.S.