The G20 summit made a statement against Trump’s absence

In G20-Summit Declaration For example, expanding renewable energy, climate protection, and reducing the debt of poor countries are necessary. At the opening, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized that as host he wanted to strive to maintain the integrity and reputation of the G20 format.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Russia to end the war against Ukraine. Merz warned that all G20 countries must be aware of their responsibilities. According to European diplomats, there was only a meeting of the E3 countries (Germany, France, England) in the afternoon. The E3 then discussed how to proceed with the US proposal regarding Ukraine with other European countries as well as Japan and Canada.

The summit in Johannesburg was overshadowed by the United States’ refusal to take part in the meeting. US President Donald Trump accused South Africa of systematically targeting white people without providing any evidence. China, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Argentina were also not represented by their top representatives – but worked at the summit. Merz emphasized that he would definitely take part in the G20 meeting which invited around 60 countries.

Ramaphosa said there was great desire among participants to adopt a joint statement at the G20 summit. According to information obtained by Reuters, he told government Sherpas on Monday that, despite US warnings not to make any decisions, he really wanted a non-binding declaration. This desire is also shared by other G20 countries. “This is also a message to Washington,” an EU diplomat told Reuters news agency.

This declaration was possible thanks to a protocol trick: it is not a G20 declaration, but it is not just a presidential declaration either. It was adopted as a declaration by heads of state and government. The US government has warned against making statements in his absence. The United States will take over the leadership of the G20 in 2026, but according to German government officials, they want to significantly reduce the scale of dialogue.

The summit was also overshadowed by the US proposal to end the war in Ukraine, which, in the opinion of European countries, amounted to a surrender of the government in Kiev and was therefore unacceptable. Europe wants to discuss this on the sidelines of the G20 meeting.

In his opening statement, Merz did not respond to the US ultimatum, but stressed: “Russia has launched an illegal war of aggression. Now Russia must finally end this aggression, which has brought terrible human suffering to Europe.” He also blamed Russia for the war’s major impact on the global economy. “All G20 members must now carry out their responsibilities, not just for economic interests,” he added, alluding to the US. Especially at the G20, we need to get back on the path of cooperation – especially in defense of fair world trade. This can also be understood as a criticism of Trump’s tariff policies.

According to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European countries want to make their own contributions to the controversial US peace plan for the Ukraine war. Speaking on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Starmer said the meeting was aimed at supporting US President Donald Trump’s push for peace and considering “how we can strengthen this plan for the next stage of negotiations”.

Host Ramaphosa also allowed smaller countries to speak at the G20 summit. Finnish President Alexander Stubb called for increased multilateral coordination and described the distribution of power in the world as unfair. The West must finally accept that it still reflects the world of 1945, he said, alluding to previously stalled reforms of the UN Security Council.