Peacekeeping efforts and challenges: Erdogan proposes to freeze the war in Ukraine at the G20 summit
The G20 summit started in Brazil, where the leaders of the world’s leading countries gathered. It is symbolic that the second day of the event coincides with a black date for Ukraine – 1000 days from the beginning of the full-scale war. However, not only the Russian-Ukrainian war is on the agenda of the summit. The conflict in the Middle East and climate issues are also discussed. In addition, the resolution of the Ukrainian issue takes place without the participation of representatives from Ukraine. For the second year in a row, despite Zelensky’s insistence, our country has not been invited to this large-scale meeting. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be at the G20 summit in Brazil. The decision is apparently due to his legal vulnerability due to an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. However, a replacement was found for Putin to participate in the summit. Minister of Foreign Affairs Serhii Lavrov arrived in Brazil instead.
Condemnation of Russia’s actions is unlikely to make it to the summit’s final communique. At least, there were no such insights, although yesterday’s massive missile attack may change the intentions of some of the participants of the G20 meeting. The Turkish proposal, which includes the creation of a demilitarized zone in eastern Donbas, where Russia has had control since 2014, deserves special attention. Erdogan plans to offer the deployment of international peacekeeping forces as an additional security guarantee, as well as to provide Ukraine with a guaranteed supply of weapons if it agrees to leave the question of joining NATO in favor of the peace process.
Trump’s shadow hangs over the G20 summit
One of the main questions at the G20 summit is how the leaders, who are already struggling to reach a consensus, will deal with the return of Donald Trump, who has a reputation as the chief destabilizer of G20 relations. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who survived the fallout from Trump’s withdrawal from the talks in 2018, is likely to take part in an event of this magnitude for the last time before an election where his popularity is extremely low. So he is expected to lose.
Edition Bloomberg reports that the summit is expecting a detailed report from Olaf Scholz regarding his telephone conversation with the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin. Many of the allies regard this call as an important step toward meeting the peace process, despite Zelensky’s harsh criticism. Since Europe is starting to talk more and more actively about the conclusion of a permanent peace between Ukraine and Russia, there are opinions that not only Trump should communicate with Putin, but also pay attention to the possible conclusion of a permanent peace, it is important that not only Trump communicates with Putin. It is also assumed that Scholz’s participation in the summit as the leader of Germany could be his last, because the political mood in Germany suggests that Scholz’s party will lose the early elections.
Erdogan proposes to freeze the Russian-Ukrainian war
Turkish press informs, that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the G20 summit in Brazil, where he will hold talks with other world leaders. At the summit, he is expected to put forward a proposal to end the war in Ukraine, in particular to propose freezing the conflict on the existing front lines, which could become the basis for further peace talks.
Official Turkish media are considered this proposal as an important step in preventing the escalation of war and strengthening diplomatic efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution of the conflict. In Turkey, Erdogan is considered a key player in the international arena, capable of solving the most difficult issues, in particular, regarding the war in Ukraine. His position is said to gain significant weight because of the war’s humanitarian consequences and its impact on global security.
There is no doubt that Turkey, as a member of NATO, can play an important role in international diplomatic efforts, and this allows it to make a significant contribution to peace processes. Turkey’s official proposal envisages freezing the conflict on the current front lines and can be perceived as a step to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine, because Turkey seeks to create an opportunity for the peace process and ensure regional security.
What is important now is how other major players, such as the European Union and the United States, will react to this initiative, as their reactions can have a significant impact on the further development of the war. The details of Erdogan’s proposal and his interactions with other leaders are therefore expected to be in focus at the G20 summit.
It will be recalled that the summit is an important platform for global leaders who seek to discuss critical issues of world politics. Turkey expects that Erdogan’s initiative can be a significant step not only towards ending the war in Ukraine, but also towards preserving international peace as a whole.
Referring to its sources, RBC-Ukraine informs, that diplomats who were preparing a joint statement for the G20 summit had difficulty formulating specific proposals regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine. A large-scale Russian airstrike on November 17 broke the established consensus, and European diplomats began to insist on revising the previously agreed wording. There were also some other events that changed the shaky agreement on conflict settlement. The United States has lifted restrictions on the supply of American weapons to Ukrainian troops for strikes on Russian territory. It is also expected that Beijing, which has always supported Russia, may change its position due to the global consequences of the war in Ukraine, in particular due to the use of North Korean troops, that is, the conflict is approaching China’s borders.
Three lame ducks from politics
“Three lame ducks of the West on a reality check in Rio” – this is the ironic title of the publication’s material “The world”, dedicated to the meeting of the G20. The publication reminds that Olaf Scholz has repeatedly declared his strong support for Ukraine in cooperation with the USA. “If he remained faithful to this policy,” Die Welt thinks, “he would have to agree to the supply of German Taurus cruise missiles.” At the same time, Scholz cannot resist the temptation to play the role of “chancellor of peace”, criticizing the use of long-range weapons as a dangerous escalation. Still, a strong alliance between the chancellor and the White House is now more important than ever. The publication is convinced that President Biden’s decision regarding missiles was made at the right time and Chancellor Scholz should draw conclusions from this.
The publication includes Scholz, Biden and Macron among the three lame ducks – politicians who no longer have sufficient influence on the international arena. The publication calls on both Berlin and Paris to stop moralizing and to act more decisively, in particular, by seeking pragmatic support from the next American president, Donald Trump.
Brazil is focused on the economy and the climate, not on Ukraine
French edition The World also writes with concern about Trump’s shadow looming over the G20, as the G20 increasingly becomes an arena of contention between the rich countries of the North and the power of the South, which is increasing its influence. The publication especially emphasizes the role of Brazil in this confrontation, because the country’s leader is building his own strong position, evidence of which is the refusal to receive Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, “Le Monde” is outraged that Lula is focused on economic and climate issues, and not on the conflict in Ukraine. Western leaders, in particular, are concerned that Donald Trump’s return to power could accelerate global fragmentation, a process in which countries will move from multilateral cooperation to greater nationalism and economic isolation. Trump is known for his “America First” policy, which involves reducing US participation in global affairs, particularly in international organizations, and reversing the process of globalization. This means that when Trump returns to power, his actions may lead to increased tensions in international relations, which will also affect the global economy and stability.
That is precisely why Lula is trying to focus on issues that could promote dialogue, without drawing too much attention to the war in Ukraine.
Therefore, the G20 summit in Brazil emphasizes the importance of finding new ways to peace and stability in the context of worsening global conflicts, especially the Russian-Ukrainian war. Despite the absence of representatives of Ukraine in the west, the situation in the east of Europe remains in the center of attention of world leaders. A Turkish proposal to freeze the war at the current positions and possibly deploy peacekeepers is just one of the options being discussed, although it is drawing mixed reactions. It is important for Ukraine that any international initiatives to resolve the conflict take into account its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Whether the summit will be able to become a step on the way to long-term peace and whether the voices of the countries supporting Ukraine will be heard will become clear after the results of this important international forum.
