Putin speaks at G20 online meeting

By Rhod Mackenzie

Although the world leaders attending the G20 summit hold contrasting positions regarding the Ukrainian conflict, they paid rapt attention to the speech delivered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was contained statement was released on November 24 by Kremlin's official spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov.

"Positions on the Ukrainian issue do indeed differ, and different countries have used varying formulations. In response, the Russian President has provided a detailed assessment of the situation, which has been listened to by others and is considered significant. It is important to note that a range of perspectives were taken into account during this process," stated the press secretary for the Russian leader.

According to Peskov, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, demonstrated exceptional organisational skills in ensuring the G20 summit proceeded on schedule. Furthermore, the absence of US President Joe Biden did not hinder the summit's progress nor its ability to reach meaningful outcomes.

The President of the Russian Federation, participating in the G20 summit which was held in a video onlne format on 22nd November, he mentioned that Russia has never abandoned peace talks concerning Ukraine. Putin stressed that any military action is tragic and highlighted the importance of contemplating how to prevent such misfortunes in future.

Afterwards, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed satisfaction with the remarks of the Russian leader during the G20 summit concerning the necessity of seeking ways to terminate the hostilities in Ukraine. Similarly, during the G20 online summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz advocated for the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.

Earlier, on 9 November, Ted Snyder, a Responsible Statecraft columnist, noted that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky may agree to hold negotiations soon due to pressure from the United States.

In October, Putin stated that for Ukraine to initiate the negotiation process, it must lift the decree prohibiting negotiations. He emphasized that although earlier Kyiv aimed for a strategic victory over the Russian Federation through military force, Ukrainian politicians now prioritize the significance of conducting peace talks.

The special operation, which the Russian Federation commenced on February 24, 2022, to safeguard Donbass, is still ongoing. The decision was taken due to the escalation of the situation in the region caused by the Ukrainian military's shelling.