G20 Summit in India: Mixed outcomes and diplomatic maneuvers

In a summary of the G20 summit held in India, the Financial Times mentioned that the final statement delivered a blow to Western countries due to the lack of global consensus on supporting Ukraine. 

Diplomats revealed that China's rejection of the previous wording in Bali, which had used the term "Russian aggression" against Ukraine, played a decisive role in pushing the host country, India, to propose compromise language, ultimately condemning the "use of force" in Ukraine without explicitly mentioning the Russian attack.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described the G20 summit as successful, while Kyiv criticized the statement, stating that there was nothing for the G20 to be proud of. President Joe Biden's hope to secure agreement from participating nations to allow Ukrainian President Zelensky to address the summit via video link was also unsuccessful.

Regarding climate issues, the final statement lacked any call for a gradual phase-out of fossil fuels, contrary to the hopes of many observers. This prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to comment that the summit's stance on this matter was insufficient and called for more ambitious goals in transitioning away from oil.

On the other hand, India appeared to have succeeded in showcasing its growing diplomatic influence and facilitation of dialogue. The summit served as a platform to sign a major sea and rail transport project to connect India to Europe via the Middle East. 

Additionally, G20 leaders agreed to the African Union's accession to their bloc.

On the sidelines of the summit in New Delhi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a face-to-face meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, marking the end of a period of estrangement between the two nations.

The absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin cast a shadow over the summit, leading some to speculate that their repeated absence could signal their countries' intent to disengage from the G20 in favor of expanding the competitive BRICS bloc.