CNN —This might have been an opportunity for world leaders to bridge a host of chasms that are opening up, as G20 conferences have in the past. Yet this will be the first G20 that Xi has skipped in the decade he’s served as China’s president. The hope is that, without distractions from the presence of Xi and Putin, the G20 will be able to focus more directly on just such urgent issues. Certainly, it removes an opportunity to pressure Xi into restraining shipment of technology and equipment to Russia that could help its war in Ukraine. So, this G20 — uniquely absent Xi and Putin — is an important opportunity to showcase China’s failings, confirm Russia’s status as a pariah and ratify America’s place as a global leader.

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Persons: David A, David Andelman, Vladimir Putin, Sergey Lavrov, Xi, Li Qiang, Putin, Narendra Modi, —, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, he’s, Blinken, Biden, Lavrov, ”, “, …, there’s, Michele Spatari, Biden’s, Putin — Organizations: CNN, French Legion of, The New York Times, CBS News, David Andelman CNN, International Criminal Court, ICC, America, NBC, Putin, Indian, Sunday, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, United, Twitter, Facebook, Biden Locations: New Delhi, India, Bali , Indonesia, China, Washington, Johannesburg, South Africa, Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing, ” China, San Francisco, Russian, AFP, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Africa, Ukraine, Vietnam, Asia, American, Southeast Asia, America