# For host Indonesia, a G20 summit dogged by Russia-Ukraine rancour Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-11-14 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: G20 Summit in Turmoil: Indonesia's Struggle to Maintain Meta Description: Indonesia navigates turmoil as G20 leaders meet with the shadow of Russia's invasion of Ukraine looming over proceedings. Can they keep the peace amidst URL: https://financedigest.com/for-host-indonesia-a-g20-summit-dogged-by-russia-ukraine-rancourhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-11-14t062800z1lynxmpeiad07srtroptp4g20-summit-1736814871658-compressed.jpg) By Kate Lamb (Reuters) – Group of 20 leaders meet on Tuesday under very different circumstances than those host Indonesia envisioned when it began planning the summit last year, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hanging over proceedings even in the absence of Russia’s leader. Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous country and Southeast Asia’s largest economy, assumed the chair of the G20 in December with plans to focus on recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and boosting the interests of developing nations. Instead, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February threw the word into turmoil and threw Indonesia’s preparations for the summit out of kilter, forcing it into a high-stakes struggle to [manage divergent](https://www.financedigest.com/marketmind-purchasing-managers-of-the-world-diverge.html "Marketmind: Purchasing managers of the world, diverge") demands and ensure the summit on the island of Bali takes place. Just keeping the meeting together is already a big achievement,” said Jose Rizal, executive [director of the Centre for Strategic and International](https://www.financedigest.com/adnami-appoints-jeetesh-luhar-as-international-sales-director.html "Adnami appoints Jeetesh Luhar as International Sales Director") Studies in Jakarta. Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of its southern neighbour sparked calls by some Western leaders for a boycott of the [G20 summit](https://www.financedigest.com/g20-summit-what-you-need-to-know-now.html "G20 Summit: What you need to know now") and for the withdrawal of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation. But Indonesia, closely associated from the 1950s with the formation of the non-aligned movement, has instead focused on its “bebas dan aktif”, or “free and active” [foreign policy](https://www.financedigest.com/ancs-failed-foreign-policy-hurting-south-africa.html "ANC’s failed foreign policy hurting South Africa"), a position of non-alignment born out of the Cold War, to try to keep the peace amid the global fractures, analysts say. Indonesia has held its ground on Russia, refusing to withdraw Putin’s invitation, and also rejecting what Indonesian [sources say has been pressure from G7 countries to condemn Russia](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-kazakh-mcdonalds-shut-outlets-temporarily-after-halting-supplies-from-russia-sources.html "Exclusive-Kazakh McDonald’s shut outlets temporarily after halting supplies from Russia – sources") at the summit this week. President Joko Widodo, who has not previously focussed on international affairs, travelled to Kiev and Moscow in June to [meet Putin and Ukrainian President](https://www.financedigest.com/statement-by-imf-first-deputy-managing-director-david-lipton-on-meeting-with-egypts-president.html "Statement by IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton on Meeting with Egypt’s President") Volodymyr Zelenskiy, whom he also invited to the summit. Jokowi, as the president is known, has been particularly focused on food and energy insecurity that has resulted from the [war in Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-grants-citizenship-to-top-russian-journalist-who-denounced-war.html "Ukraine grants citizenship to top Russian journalist who denounced war"), in no small part because Indonesia is one of the world’s largest importers of wheat. Russia confirmed at almost the last minute that Putin would not attend the summit with [Foreign Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/not-business-as-usual-for-g20-foreign-ministers-meeting-in-bali.html "Not ‘business as usual’ for G20 foreign ministers meeting in Bali") Sergei Lavrov taking his place. Ukraine’s [Zelenskiy is due to address](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-to-address-zelenskiy-appeal-still-opposes-no-fly-zone.html "Biden to address Zelenskiy appeal, still opposes ‘no fly zone’") the summit via video link. It’s like a family wedding where one member of the family is a black sheep, but you can’t not invite them, but which table do you put them at?” said Dewi Anwar, a research professor at Indonesia’s [National](https://www.financedigest.com/a-nation-of-toffs-research-reveals-what-brits-class-as-posh-in-2016.html "A nation of toffs: Research reveals what Brits class as ‘posh’ in 2016") Research and Innovation Agency. ‘EXTREMELY DIFFICULT’ In a recent interview with Reuters, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi described this [year’s G20 as possibly the most fraught to date](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-international-womens-day-date-history-and-this-years-theme.html "Explainer-International Women’s Day: date, history and this year’s theme"), with countries in some cases taking days to agree on the use of a single word. Indonesia will breath a sigh of relief as the summit [opens but key](https://www.financedigest.com/open-banking-cloud-key-fs-innovation.html "Open Banking: why cloud is key to FS innovation") issues remain unresolved. A joint communique, which would need to be agreed by all parties, appears unlikely, with Indonesia instead pushing for a leaders’ declaration, diplomatic sources say. But even that could be thorny, [according to a European](https://www.financedigest.com/january-windstorms-expected-to-cost-european-insurers-more-than-2bn-according-to-aon-catastrophe-report.html "January windstorms expected to cost European insurers more than bn, according to Aon catastrophe report") diplomat. We have to make [sure that Russia’s war](https://www.financedigest.com/broadband-wars-make-sure-youre-not-caught-in-the-slow-lane.html "Broadband wars – make sure you’re not caught in the slow lane  ") is mentioned in the G20 declaration in one way or another. It can’t be [business as normal](https://www.financedigest.com/coronavirus-how-american-business-have-adapted-to-the-new-normal.html "Coronavirus: How American Business Have Adapted to the New Normal"). But that is extremely difficult,” the diplomat said, “My estimate is that at the moment, 10 of the G20 countries are against criticizing Russia harshly in the declaration.” A traditional G20 [“family photo” of leaders also appears to be off the table this year](https://www.financedigest.com/another-momentous-year-beckons-for-britains-royal-family.html "Another momentous year beckons for Britain’s royal family"), sources say. While Indonesia recently condemned at the U.N. General Assembly Russia’s declaration of its “annexation” of four Ukrainian territories, Jokowi has maintained the G20 should primarily be an economic forum. “‘Free and active’ means you have some independence and also discretion to choose which forum to fight for which battle, and Indonesia is very adept at that,” said Anwar, arguing that the G20 should not be “held hostage” to one issue. At the [end of the day](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-to-lay-off-staff-in-u-s-canada-and-costa-rica-by-end-of-day.html "Amazon to lay off staff in U.S., Canada and Costa Rica by end of day") the planet still revolves, climate change continues, and the pandemic continues to be a major threat. Amid the geopolitical tension one clear win for G20 chair Indonesia, which has struggled with coronavirus vaccine equity, is the creation of a pandemic preparedness [fund and pledges](https://www.financedigest.com/hungary-pledges-legal-changes-to-secure-eu-recovery-funding-govt.html "Hungary pledges legal changes to secure EU recovery funding – govt") for it of $1.4 billion. (Reporting by Kate Lamb in Sydney; additional reporting by Ananda Teresia in Jakarta, Andreas Rinke in Berlin; editing by Robert Birsel) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---