‘Mr Putin could end this conflict today’: Albanese makes case for peace at summit without solutions

Rio de Janeiro: Leaders from the world’s biggest economies have called for a ceasefire in Gaza and a peace deal in Ukraine but have split on how to end the conflicts, highlighting the deep divisions at the G20 summit in Brazil after a day of fraught negotiations.

Leaders including United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping backed a joint declaration at the end of the first day of the summit in Rio de Janeiro after the host of the meeting, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, pressed for the agreement.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed the argument for putting more pressure on Russia over its invasion, siding with fellow leaders from the US, United Kingdom, Canada and Europe.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese put his name to the declaration and discussed the two flashpoints in talks with leaders including Xi, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Turkish President Recep Erdogan.

The leaders expressed their concern at the “catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the escalation in Lebanon” and called for a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza as well as greater humanitarian assistance.

“Affirming the Palestinian right to self-determination, we reiterate our unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution where Israel and a Palestinian state live side by side in peace within secure and recognised borders,” they said.

There was no other mention of Israel and no mention of the Hamas attack on October 7 last year that killed 1200 people, triggering the Israeli response.

In Biden’s last G20 summit, the leaders remain fundamentally divided on support for Ukraine before Donald Trump takes office as US president in January, after key members of his future administration criticised aid for the country.

Albanese has backed the argument for putting more pressure on Russia over its invasion, siding with fellow leaders from the US, United Kingdom, Canada and Europe, but the Turkish president has argued for a truce that would allow Russia to keep the territory it has taken over the past two years.

The declaration highlighted the human suffering in Ukraine and the damage to global food and energy supplies but did not mention Russia and did not condemn the full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.

“We welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just and durable peace,” it said.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin is not at the summit, he is represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. G20 statements require a consensus among members.

Albanese singled out North Korean support for Russia as a key concern, given estimates that Kim Jong-un had sent 10,000 soldiers to fight Ukrainian forces.

“Australia is arguing consistent with our position, which is that the international community have an interest in making clear statements about the rule of law internationally and the protection of national sovereignty,” Albanese said on the first day of the summit.

Albanese said Australia was not participating in the peace talks at the G20 but was continuing to back Ukraine with military hardware and other support.

“Our position is very, very clear, which is that Mr Putin could end this conflict today by withdrawing … into his own borders. That is in the interest of the international rule of law,” he said.

“And the comments that were made today at the G20 were consistent across the board. Almost every speaker – obviously with the exception of Mr Lavrov and perhaps one or two others – almost every speaker mentioned in their contributions their opposition to Russia’s actions, which make it an international pariah.”

The attempt to make a stronger statement on the conflict could not gain a consensus at the summit when two of the group’s members, Russia and China, have blocked a similar move in the past.

Trudeau arrived in Rio saying a “blunt” conversation was needed about the risk to Ukraine from a withdrawal of support from the US.

“All the allies in the world would not be able to replace a complete withdrawal from supporting Ukraine by the United States,” he said.

Erdogan is proposing a peace deal based on the current frontlines in the conflict, sacrificing swaths of Ukrainian territory, and wants to keep Ukraine out of NATO for at least 10 years.

Biden on Monday made a dramatic move to give Ukraine more firepower against Russia before the start of the Trump administration, authorising the use of long-distance missiles supplied by the US to hit Russian soil.

Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Biden was “adding fuel to the fire” with his approval for Ukrainian attacks.

“If such a decision has been taken, it means a whole new spiral of tension and a whole new situation with regard to US involvement in this conflict,” Peskov said.

US vice president-elect J.D. Vance said earlier this year that “there is frankly no good reason that aid from the US should be needed” in Ukraine, and questioned the scale of US support for NATO.

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