G20 Meeting in US Clouded by Rifts over Ukraine and Middle East Conflicts
The G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, US, is being overshadowed by deepening rifts over the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for greater geopolitical stability and economic prosperity, but the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has sparked controversy among other ministers.
Several ministers, including Canada's Anita Anand and South Africa's representative, were absent from the opening plenary session. Anand's spokeswoman cited a prior commitment to a Canada-EU summit in Montreal, while the South African minister was not invited by the US. The absence of Ukraine, which was not invited to the meeting, has also been a point of contention.
The US is also facing pressure from President Trump to negotiate a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Technical-level trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US are scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi next month.
The G20 meeting is expected to focus on addressing the global economic order and promoting stability, but the divisions over the Ukraine and Middle East conflicts may hinder progress.
