India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the press conference after the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting  (Photo: ANI)

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the conference ended without a collective statement due to profound differences over the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, despite host India’s persistent efforts to create consensus.

Instead they adopted a Chair’s Summary and Outcome document which reflects the G20's determination to respond to pressing global challenges. Jaishankar said that the conference focused on the aspects that can help unite the parties involved.

He said the conflict has driven up the cost of fuel, food, and fertilizers, adding, “If you look at some of the countries who were already struggling with debts, who were already impacted by the pandemic, for them the knock-on effects of this conflict coming on top of that has been really… damaging is a very mild word.”

“So it is a matter of very deep concern for us, which is why we have kept the focus in this meeting very much on the concerns of the global South. We feel these are the most vulnerable countries. You know, it's not realistic, it's not credible, to talk about the future of the global economy and the multilateral order if you are not able to really address and focus on the issues of those who are most in need,” Jaishankar concluded.

One of the issues that meeting participants reached consensus on was that the African Union will become a full member of the group.  

The Ukraine crisis became the dominant agenda item despite host India wanting the conference to focus on urgent world problems like poverty and climate change.