As the impact on Ukraine worsens, the G7 is trying to woo onlookers

The five rising powers – Argentina, India, Indonesia, Senegal and South Africa – have become the object of the G7 industrial powers’ charm offensive as the rich nations club seeks to build a broader base of support for their support for Kyiv.

But three of them failed to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Two others did but, like others, are not spared the fallout from the aftermath of the protracted conflict.

India, Senegal and South Africa failed to condemn Russia for its attack on Ukraine, while Argentina and Indonesia did.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, host of the G7 advanced economies summit in the Bavarian Alps, said the invitation to the five emerging powers is a signal that the community of democracies is not limited to the West or countries in the northern hemisphere.

“The democracies of the future can be found in Asia and Africa,” said the German head of state.

On the eve of host nations joining the summit, the G7 launched a $600 billion global infrastructure program for developing countries.

The summit later released a joint declaration with the host countries, committing to a rules-based international order.

But the statement avoided the war in Ukraine.

Disguising the invitation and altruistic program, there are fears a global backlash is building over Western support for Ukraine.

And Western allies are anxiously struggling to correct Moscow-fueled rhetoric that it is sanctions on Russia, not Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, that are causing the multitude of crises rocking the world.

“Russia is responsible for this dramatic crisis, not international sanctions,” emphasized Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock recently at an international food security conference.

“We know about the indirect negative effects of sanctions and we recognize them. However, they are much less than the brutal crackdown by Russia, which uses hunger as a weapon,” she said.

Thorsten Brenner, director of the Global Public Policy Institute, noted that “a crucial task” for the G7 “is to convince many non-Western countries that are skeptical about sanctions that the West, in the design of sanctions, is their concern.” taken into account by rising energy prices”. .

Emerging markets, meanwhile, will try to underscore the hunger crisis threatening their countries as Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports pushes wheat prices higher.

But other staples such as sunflower oil and fertilizers essential to cultivation have also become scarce as both Ukraine and Russia are big producers.

And a struggle for energy by Western powers trying to wean themselves off Russian energy has pushed up electricity prices – again hitting the poorest hardest.

Comments by Senegalese President Macky Sall after his recent visit to Moscow to hold talks with Putin over the food crisis had alarmed Western officials.

Sall had said he was “reassured” by Putin and instead urged Ukraine to clear the waters around its port of Odessa to allow grain exports.

At the same time, Western allies are also trying to ensure that emerging economies refrain from taking measures that could worsen the crisis.

India’s decision to halt wheat exports and Indonesia’s decision to halt palm oil exports have sent shockwaves through commodity markets.

Argentina has also lowered its export quota for wheat.

Meanwhile, South Africa is suffering from rising oil prices.

Putin, too, has sought to broaden his support and has tried to underscore his message that Western sanctions are to blame during a summit of Brazil, China, India and South Africa.

He has called on countries to work together in the face of “selfish actions” by the West.

Amid fears of a widening rift between the West and the rest, European leaders softened their tone.

While there had previously been calls for G20 host country Indonesia to exclude Putin from the November summit, European leaders appear to have backed away from that stance.

A Kremlin adviser said Monday that Putin plans to attend the summit after receiving the official invitation. Jakarta has also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Scholz said the group of major developed and developing countries will continue to play a “big role” and cooperation is key.

Germany will therefore “not torpedo the work of the G20,” Scholz told ZDF.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday that she would not rule out sitting at the same table with Putin at the G20.

“It’s also important to tell him to his face what we think of him,” she said.

“And we need to think carefully about shutting down the entire G20,” she said, warning that the bloc, which accounts for 80 percent of total global economic output, is “too important a platform” to undermine.