Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is officially welcomed to the G20 Summit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, India on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
NEW DELHI – Prime Minister Narendra Modi says global economic leaders have reached a consensus on a final communique, but the language surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — which is leading to geopolitical tensions — has softened since the leaders last met.
The consensus statement from this year’s G20 summit in India was posted by India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saturday, a day before the summit ends.
It calls for the cessation of military destruction or other attacks on relevant infrastructure.
Senior government officials in Canada said it took months to get the wording where it is, but they wouldn’t say what other countries had also pushed for stronger language.
During last year’s G20 summit in Bali, the leaders were more direct by calling out Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, while demanding they withdraw from the territory.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is attending the two-day summit, has promised to keep Ukraine’s plight on the agenda.
— With files from The Associated Press
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2023.
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