G20 declaration ‘nothing to be proud of’, says Kyiv; Ukraine warns against lifting sanctions as Russia pushes grain deal; Ukraine condemns lack of progress for a tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders
The Ukrainian foreign ministry has responded to the joint declaration by G20 leaders, describing the sections relating to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as “nothing to be proud of”. Foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko called out the declaration for not outright naming Russia. “It is clear that the participation of the Ukrainian side would have allowed the participants to better understand the situation.”
An adviser to the head of the office of Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned about the consequences of lifting sanctions against Russia, which pushed for a grain deal in the joint G20 declaration that would lift the international Swiftbank payments system ban on some Russian banks. “Even the slightest lifting of sanctions on Russia or any discussions suggesting such an option have consequences,” Mykhailo Podolyak said.
G20 leaders adopted a consensus declaration on issues facing the bloc after some disagreement over the wording on the war in Ukraine. Western countries had pushed for strong condemnation of Russia while Russia blocked a compromise that was “acceptable otherwise for everyone else”, an EU diplomat told Reuters.
The wording on a portion of the declaration on Ukraine noted the “different views and assessments” on Russia’s war, but underscored that all states must act in a manner “consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN charter in its entirety”. It called for the “timely and effective” implementation to ensure “immediate and unimpeded” deliveries of grain, food stuff and fertilisers from Ukraine and Russia.
Ukraine’s top diplomat, Dmytro Kuleba, has condemned the lack of progress on the creation of a tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders and on the transfer of frozen assets. The foreign minister said the G7 group “stands firmly” in favour of a hybrid tribunal based on Ukrainian legislation. This would not allow for the immunity of Vladimir Putin and other leading Russian figures to be stripped – an unacceptable option for Kyiv.
Ukraine’s newly nominated defence minister, Rustem Umerov, has called on Kyiv’s partners to increase deliveries of heavy weapons, amid a long and difficult counteroffensive against Russian forces. “We are grateful for all the support provided … we need more heavy weapons,” Umerov said in an embargoed speech released on Saturday.
At least five blasts were heard early on Sunday across the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Reuters witnesses reported. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said air defence systems were engaged in repelling a Russian air attack.
Kyiv residents are fearing a property grab by developers, with the war not diminishing the appetite for prime property in the city, or halting the scramble to get hold of empty plots for construction. While developers seek to take advantage of Russia’s invasion, it has also spurred opposition to their plans.
New fragments of a drone similar to those used by the Russian military were found on Romanian soil, the president and defence ministry said on Saturday – the second discovery of its kind in Romanian territory this week.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned of a potential threat to nuclear safety after a surge in fighting near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The UN atomic watchdog said its experts at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant reported hearing explosions over the past week.
Zelenskiy said on Saturday he had agreed to begin bilateral talks with Japan over security guarantees at a meeting with the Japanese foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi, in Kyiv.
