OPINION: G-20 Summit Leaders Abandoned Ukraine and World Peace

Tyrannical regimes are free to continue to conduct more evil mischief after world leaders failed to condemn Russia for their invasion of Ukraine at the G-20 Summit. Leaders from the world’s largest economies convened 2023’s economic Summit in New Delhi, India.

On Sept. 9, a resolution was unanimously adopted that completely ignored Russia’s genocidal invasion. An absurd passage in the resolution only obliquely references the war in Ukraine: “With deep concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world.”

The resolution makes a mockery of international peace and world order by failing to censor Russia directly. In truth, it was adopted to appease both China and Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. 

What exactly is the point of appeasing Putin, the most dangerous threat to world peace since World War II? After all, Putin’s genocidal dreams of conquest are similar to those adopted by Adolph Hitler. After 19 months of Russian aggression, US and allied leaders should have learned that appeasing Putin, like Hitler, merely invites further escalation of his atrocities.

It seems laughable that India’s former foreign minister proudly claimed the resolution was “a remarkable achievement.” Likewise, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, supported the resolution’s wording, albeit with considerable criticism. 

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Shmyhal stated that Ukraine currently urgently needs missiles, air defense ammunition, and long-range weapons from its allies rather than boots on the ground.

During the previous year’s G-20 Summit, members courageously condemned Russia’s invasion. Since then, Russia has continued the barbaric slaughter he initiated 19 months ago, killing or injuring thousands of innocent Ukrainian civilians by bombing playgrounds, schools, hospitals, apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure.    

Americans should be alarmed that US officials and some of our allies handed Russia such a huge psychological victory. More importantly, the apparent apathy shown by G-20 leaders signals a worldwide weariness towards the war, which is already being exploited by the Kremlin.

Since the G-20 meeting, Russia has seeked to expand its Pariah status. Putin is expanding his axis of evil by forming a military partnership with autocratic North Korea, and aggressively declaring military control of Bulgaria’s economic zone in the Black Sea. Putin recently promoted the prominent Russian general, Andrey Mordichev, who openly acknowledged that “Ukraine is a stepping stone” for a larger European invasion.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting the US and continues pleading for more US funding. So far about $70 billion has been contributed to the war effort in Ukraine.

Unfortunately, many Americans are being fed a false narrative that the war funding will bankrupt America. In truth, for every one thousand dollars of Gross Domestic Product, American taxpayers spent just two dollars for Ukraine’s war effort equal to around 5 percent of its annual defense budget. This is by far the cheapest ever method available to secure America’s defense. All Americans should be grateful that Ukraine is fighting NATO’s war, without sacrificing the lives of American soldiers.   

America and our allies must stop playing “Alice in Wonderland” diplomatic word games with Russia on the international stage.  Instead, we should provide Ukraine with more advanced weapons to decisively decimate Russia’s military. Putin must pay the severest consequences to prevent further tyranny and genocide from spreading worldwide.

The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.