Ukraine's calls to expel Russia from G20 unlikely: Newsweek

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Newsweek
2 Nov 2022 20:03

The global world order is clearly beginning to shift away from the West since the condemnation of Russia has not been as widely accepted elsewhere as it has in the US and the EU.

G20 meeting of foreign ministers

Newsweek said on Wednesday that calls to expel Russia from the G20 summit are unlikely to happen since there is no consensus among member nations for effecting such a move.

Yesterday, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Oleg Nikolenko tweeted that Russia's invitation to the summit, which will be held on November 15, should be revoked and that Russia's permanent status at the bloc must be annulled.

Putin publicly acknowledged ordering missile strikes on Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure. With his hands stained in blood, he must not be allowed to sit at the table with world leaders. Putin’s invitation to Bali summit must be revoked, and Russia expelled from G20.
— Oleg Nikolenko (@OlegNikolenko_) November 1, 2022

What is the added value of keeping Russia in the G20? It doesn’t contribute to global economic growth, or promote peaceful coexistence and prosperity. Russia’s foreign policy seeks to achieve its goals using death and destruction. Giving the stage to Putin only compromises #G20.
— Oleg Nikolenko (@OlegNikolenko_) November 1, 2022

Back in March, US President Joe Biden likewise said that Russia should be removed from the bloc, though it would be up to the G20 to decide that.

Since the beginning of the conflict, the US and several of its allies were contemplating Russia's expulsion from the bloc.

But a diplomatic source told Newsweek that members of the BRICS alliance, namely India, Brazil, South Africa, and China will most probably decline the move.

Moreover, the global world order is clearly beginning to shift away from the West since the condemnation of Russia has not been as widely accepted elsewhere as it has in the US and the EU, said Jonathan Eyal, associate director of London think tank, the Royal United Services Institute.

"It was rather self-indulgent of Western countries to come up with the idea of getting Russia out of the G20," he told Newsweek.

"The Indonesian hosts of the G20 made it clear from the beginning that they have no such intention. There's absolutely no consensus at all in the G20 on the subject."

Although the UNGA votes which condemned Russia for its "intervention" in Ukraine back in March were "touted as a great victory by Western diplomats," the West failed to explain its position and narrative on the matter.

"There's a widespread belief in the Global South that Russia was egged on, irritated, provoked into this one," Eyal said.

"There is a deep resentment of the West for all its colonial past and everything else that is definitely much stronger than any suspicion of Russia."

Putin has yet to decide if he will attend the summit or not, or possibly send a high-level delegation in his place for the first major global summit.

Indonesia has pushed for both Ukraine and Russia's leaders to attend the summit in an effort to build upon a resolution.

However, US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said that Biden has no intention "to sit down with Vladimir Putin."

The unlikeliness of Russia's expulsion is especially true considering that in recent months, there has been a surge of anti-western sentiment all across the Global South.

This is not only portrayed by the defiance of Saudi Arabia toward the US's oil demands but also by the numerous rallies across the African continent protesting ongoing diplomatic ties with France, which they view as a continuation of colonialism.

Since the EU has begun to notice the US is scamming them with overpriced supplies of oil, it appears that options are narrowing further and further for the former colonial empires.

Since Lula da Silva recently won the elections in Brazil a few days ago, the EU hopes to diversify its trade flows so as to recover from its own reckless actions of unfairly sanctioning Russia.