Shortly before the second anniversary of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the G20 foreign ministers are meeting. Foreign Minister Baerbock came with a clear message – to her Russian counterpart Lavrov.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has urged the G20 group of leading economic powers to use their weight to find a solution to the crises in Ukraine and Gaza. It is “more than good that Brazil now has the G20 presidency, as it focuses on climate protection and justice and then the climate conference will take place here in Brazil next year,” said the Green politician on the sidelines of the G20 deliberations. Foreign Minister in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“The truth is that we will not make this world fairer if we do not get the acute crises under control.” This applies to the brutal Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, but also to the situation in the Middle East, said the Federal Foreign Minister. “The effects of these two wars are hitting the poorest people the hardest around the world.” That is why it is so important that the G20, in addition to the issues of justice, climate protection and the fight against poverty, look for ways to achieve peace in Ukraine and the Middle East.
“Russia’s aggression is more than a regional conflict”
After the start of the meeting, Baerbock spoke directly to her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov again. “If you care about human lives, if you care about your own people, Russian children and young people, you must end this war now,” Baerbock said, addressing Lavrov, who was sitting three seats to her left. “If Russia were to end this war now, the path to peace and justice tomorrow would be wide open,” she added.
Addressing the other members of the group, Baerbock appealed: “If we want to build a ‘just world’, we have to tackle wars and crises together. Resolutely, respectfully and with a willingness to self-reflect.”
She respects the different perspectives on the war in Ukraine. A country 10,000 kilometers away from Kiev perceives a different security threat than a country in Europe. But “Russia’s aggression is more than a regional conflict,” warned Baerbock. Russia’s war of aggression “calls on all of us to resolutely defend the fundamental principles that protect us all: the United Nations Charter, international law and human rights. These principles protect all nations, no matter how large or small.”
Sharp criticism, no meeting
On the sidelines of the G20 conference, Lavrov met with his Brazilian colleague Mauro Vieira for talks in Rio. A bilateral meeting between Baerbock and Lavrov was not planned, as was the case at the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in India in 2023. In addition, there should be no family photo together, as was common in Ukraine before the war.
“The wars of 2024”
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said his country was deeply concerned about the international security situation. The UN Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly are currently unable to deal with the current challenges. “Given the current situation, the G20 group is perhaps the most important international forum today where countries with opposing views can still come together and have productive discussions.”
At the same time, there are “urgent problems to solve when it comes to development and the fight against hunger, poverty and inequality. These are the wars we have to fight in 2024.”
Baerbock rejects Holocaust comparison
Baerbock rejected statements by Brazilian President Lula that the deployment of the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip could be compared to the Holocaust. “The Holocaust cannot be compared with anything,” she said in response to a journalist’s question about Lula’s words.
Lula compared the Israeli military operation at the African Union summit in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa to the Holocaust. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz then declared Lula persona non grata and summoned the Brazilian ambassador to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. The government in Brazil, for its part, summoned the Israeli ambassador and recalled its representative in Israel for consultations.
Barbara Kostolnik, ARD Berlin, currently Rio de Janeiro, tagesschau, February 21, 2024 4:46 p.m