Draft G20 statement: Respect ‘territorial integrity’ in Russia-Ukraine war

NEW DELHI — Members of the G20 have drafted a joint statement expressing support for “territorial integrity and sovereignty” in the Russia-Ukraine war, according to language reviewed by POLITICO.

The final version of the G20 communique could still change as leaders of the world’s top economies — including Russia — have to approve of the text. But two officials at the weekend summit in India said the current language is likely to appear in the publicly released version.

The Ukraine section of the communique says all countries should refrain from taking “action against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state.”

The wording, which Western countries wanted to signal a condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, could also appease Moscow’s complaints that attacks inside Russia have escalated since Kyiv’s counteroffensive.

The final version of the communique is expected to be released before all leaders depart the Indian capital on Sunday.