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☆ Top China, U.S. officials hold Malta talks ahead of possible Xi-Biden meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

China's foreign minister Wang Yi and U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan met in Malta over the weekend. The bilateral talks come ahead of a possible meeting between China's President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting in November. Their Malta meeting convened after several high level officials visited Beijing in recent months and just before Wang's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later this week. In readouts issued by the White House and China's Foreign Ministry, the two-day talks in Malta were characterized as "candid, substantive and constructive." Wang had re-assumed his former job as foreign minister after Xi removed his successor Qin from the position.

Persons: Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Wang, Sullivan, Sergei Lavrov, Han Zheng, Xi, readouts, Qin Gang, Li Shangfu, Malta . Wang, Qin Organizations: Economic Cooperation, Russian, China's, Ministry, United Nations General Assembly, White, China's Foreign Ministry Locations: USA, China, U.S, Malta, Asia, Vienna, Beijing, New York, Ukraine, Taiwan Strait, Malta .

☆ World leaders to meet at UN as big powers vie for developing states
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

John Angelillo/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsUNITED NATIONS, Sept 15 (Reuters) - World leaders meet at the United Nations next week in the shadow of geopolitical tensions - largely fueled by the war in Ukraine - as Russia and China vie with the United States and Europe to win over developing countries. BILLIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTUREThe Ukraine war is just one reason for the focus on developing countries. Ahead of the New York meetings, diplomats acknowledged their focus on the developing world but dismissed suggestions that rivalry played a role. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, described the U.N. gathering as a chance for small countries to "lay out their priorities to us" and that she doesn't view it "as being a competition between big powers." Ambassador Zhang Jun told Reuters that Beijing has "no intention to compete with anyone else" and that, as China's conditions improved, the country was "willing to do more in return for developing countries but we are not competing."

Persons: John Angelillo, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Richard Gowan, U.N, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Zhang Jun, Russia's U.N, Vassily Nebenzia, Joe Biden, Antonio Guterres, Sergei Lavrov, Nebenzia, Barbara Woodward, Michelle Nichols, Don Durfee, Howard Goller Organizations: UN, Assembly, United Nations Headquarters, REUTERS Acquire, UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, Group, New, Reuters, Security, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Ukraine, Russia, China, United States, Europe, Africa, Latin America, Asia, Beijing, Moscow, European, Western, Brazil, India, South Africa, African

☆ Top Russian banks say exporters can now get trapped funds from India
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Elena Fabrichnaya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

After Moscow despatched troops to Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries imposed sweeping sanctions and have sought to wean themselves off Russian energy exports. India has been a major beneficiary, picking up Russian oil on the cheap. In response, India is seeking to stimulate investment in several sectors and diversify the goods that India supplies to Russia, Kapoor said at the economic forum. Tightening global supplies have led Russian companies to stop offering fertiliser such as di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) to India at discounted prices, three industry sources told Reuters. On the transactions issue, Kapoor rejected reports in Russian media that rupees stuck in Russian exporters' accounts in India were related to oil supply payments.

Persons: Ivan Nosov, Andrei Kostin, Kostin, Moscow Pavan Kapoor, Kapoor, Sergei Lavrov, Lavrov, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Gareth Jones, Emelia Organizations: ., Economic, RBC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, India, Moscow, Ukraine, Vladivostok, Sberbank, Arab, Emirates, Russian, Jakarta

U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen attend the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, September 9, 2023. The summit declaration avoided condemning Russia for the war in Ukraine but highlighted the human suffering the conflict had caused and called on all states not to use force to grab territory. A failure to agree on a summit declaration would have signalled that the G20 was split, perhaps irrevocably, between the West on one side and China and Russia on the other, analysts said. Diplomats have said negotiators from India, Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa drove the consensus in the summit document. Despite the lack of concrete progress, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India's chief G20 coordinator, said the meeting did take the group forward.

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Ursula von der Leyen, Evelyn Hockstein, Michael Froman, Svetlana Lukash, Lukash, Patryk Kugiel, ” Kugiel, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, India's, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Vardhan, ”, Michel Rose, Aftab Ahmed, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Indian, European, REUTERS, Diplomats, African Union, India, Foreign Relations, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Russian G20, Polish Institute of International Affairs, Xinhua, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, Russia, York, U.S, China, Beijing, Russian, Warsaw, Delhi, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, Germany, Britain

☆ Brazil needs to review accession to ICC, own judiciary to decide on Putin: Lula
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Nidhi Verma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva looks on during a press conference at a hotel after the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, September 11, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis Acquire Licensing RightsSept 11 (Reuters) - Brazil's president said on Monday there was a need to review the country's accession to the International Criminal Court when nations like the U.S., China and India had not done so. It would be up to Brazil's judiciary to decide whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would be arrested if he attends next year's G20 summit in the South American country, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told reporters in New Delhi. "I want to know why the U.S, India and China didn't sign the ICC treaty and why our country signed it," Lula said. "If Putin decides to join (next year's summit), it is the judiciary's power to decide (on a possible arrest) and not my government," Lula said.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Anushree, Vladimir Putin, Lula, Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Nidhi Verma, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, International Criminal Court, ICC, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, U.S, China, American, Ukraine, Russia, Brazil, Rome, Bali and New Delhi, Rio de Janeiro

CNN —Russia on Sunday deemed the G20 Summit in India’s capital New Delhi an “unconditional success,” a day after the meeting’s final declaration stopped short of explicitly condemning its invasion of Ukraine. “At the same time, the G20 has nothing to be proud of in the part about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov shake hands ahead of the G20 summit. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said Russia would block the final declaration of the G20 summit unless it reflects Moscow’s position on Ukraine and other crises. The summit had some high-profile absentees, with both Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin staying away.

Persons: ”, Sergei Lavrov, Narendra Modi, Oleg Nikolenko, “, Antony Blinken, Ukraine “, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Ludovic Marin, Lavrov, ‘, ” Lavrov, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin Organizations: CNN, Sunday, Russian, ” Diplomats, Indian, Ukraine’s Foreign, Facebook, Meanwhile U.S, India's, Summit, Moscow State Institute of International Relations Locations: Russia, India’s, New Delhi, Ukraine, India, United States, Ukrainian, Meanwhile, Russian, AFP, Brazil, South Africa, Union

[1/5] U.S. President Joe Biden visits the Raj Ghat memorial with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and other G20 leaders, Sept. 10, 2023, in New Delhi. "Everything was reflected in a balanced form," Svetlana Lukash, the Russian G20 sherpa, or government negotiator, was quoted as saying by Russian news agency Interfax. "All members of the G20 have agreed to act as one in the interests of peace, security and conflict resolution around the world." The summit also admitted the African Union which includes 55 member states, as a permanent member of the G20. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has left tens of thousands dead, displaced millions and sown economic turmoil across the world.

Persons: Joe Biden, India Narendra Modi, Kenny Holston, Jake Sullivan, White, Biden, Russia's Lavrov, Li, Svetlana Lukash, Olaf Scholz, Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, Fumio Kishida, Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, Sergei Lavrov, Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Krishn Kaushik, Sanjeev Miglani, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, White, Russian G20, House, British, Russian, European Union, Thomson Locations: India, New Delhi, Vietnam, DELHI, Russia, U.S, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, Germany, Britain, Brazil, South Africa

☆ Russia to Return to Grain Deal Once All Moscow's Conditions Met, Lavrov Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Katya GolubkovaNEW DELHI (Reuters) - Russia will return to the Black Sea grain deal 'the same day' as Moscow's conditions for export of its own grain and fertilisers to the global markets are met, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on Sunday. Supplies were obstructed after Russia invaded Ukraine last year in what Moscow calls a 'special military operation'. The United Nations, Turkey and this year's G7 chair Japan are trying to facilitate the resumption of grain supplies. Ukraine opposes the idea of easing sanctions on Russia in order to revive a grain deal. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday he was not 'hopeless' about reviving the deal, and Russia, Ukraine and Turkey would continue to discuss it.

Persons: Katya Golubkova, Sergei Lavrov, Russia, Lavrov, Tayyip Erdogan, SWIFT, General Antonio, Guterres, Christina Fincher Organizations: United, The United, Reuters, UN, Russian Agricultural Bank, SWIFT Locations: DELHI, Russia, United Nations, Turkey, New Delhi, Ukraine, Moscow, The United Nations, Japan, Turkish, Luxembourg

☆ G20 declaration not a victory for Russia, Macron says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Michel Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

French President Emmanuel Macron attends a press conference, on the second day of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, September 10, 2023. But he added that G20 leaders' declaration at its weekend meeting was not a diplomatic victory for Russia, which emerged isolated from the summit. "This G20 confirms once again the isolation of Russia. Today, an overwhelming majority of G20 members condemn the war in Ukraine and its impact," Macron told a press conference after the closing ceremony of the summit. Russia President Vladimir Putin did not attend the two-day G20 summit in New Delhi, sending Finance Minister Sergei Lavrov to take part in the gathering instead.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Amit Dave, Macron, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Lavrov, Michel Rose, Sakshi Dayal, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Russia, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow

☆ Countries of the global south helped avoid Ukraine overshadowing G20 agenda - Lavrov
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Katya Golubkova | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks at a press conference, during the G20 summit, in New Delhi, India, September 10, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the G20 summit in India a success and said that due to the consolidated position of the countries of the global south, Russia managed to ensure the G20 agenda was not overshadowed by the Ukraine conflict. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has left tens of thousands dead, displaced millions and sown economic turmoil across the world. Lavrov also said the Russia was willing to return to the Black Sea grain deal as soon as its conditions are met. Lavrov said Russia values the attempts by the United Nations to facilitate grain talks but called it "west only talks".

Persons: Sergei Lavrov, Francis Mascarenhas, Lavrov, Swati Bhat, Jacqueline Wong, Kim Coghill Organizations: Russian, REUTERS, United, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, United Nations, Turkey

☆ Putin would not be arrested in 2024 Brazil G20 meeting, Lula says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends the Dialogue with BRICS Business Council & New Development Bank during the BRICS summit in Brasilia, Brazil November 14, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado Acquire Licensing RightsSept 9 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Saturday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin would not be arrested in Brazil if he attends the Group of 20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro next year. Interviewed on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Delhi by news show Firstpost, Lula said Putin would be invited to next year's event, adding that he himself planned to attend a BRICS bloc of developing nations meeting due in Russia before the Rio meeting. "I believe that Putin can go easily to Brazil," Lula said. "What I can say to you is that if I'm president of Brazil, and he comes to Brazil, there's no way he will be arrested."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Adriano Machado, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Gabriel Stargardter, Richard Chang Organizations: BRICS Business, New Development Bank, REUTERS, ICC, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Delhi, Russia, Rio, Ukraine, Rome

☆ It is for China to explain Xi's absence from G20 summit, US official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the plenary session of the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2023. GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Only China can explain the reason for the absence of President Xi Jinping from the annual G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, a U.S. official said on Saturday. "Some have speculated China's absence indicates that it is giving up on the G20, building an alternative world order, that it will privilege groupings like the BRICS," Finer said. Also absent from the summit is President Vladimir Putin of Russia, which is being represented instead by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Last Sunday, reacting to news that Xi would not attend the G20 summit, Biden said he was "disappointed" but would "get to see him".

Persons: Xi Jinping, GIANLUIGI, Joe Biden, Jon, Li Qiang, Vladimir Putin of, Sergei Lavrov, Biden, Xi, Sudipto Ganguly, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, U.S, Thomson Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, DELHI, China, New Delhi, U.S, United States, Vladimir Putin of Russia, India, Brazil

NEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - The European Union castigated Russia on Saturday for its "cynicism" in pulling out of the Black Sea grain deal, saying the offer of a million tons of grain to African countries was a "parody of generosity". "And what cynicism ... you did not accept this," Michel said in comments on the grain deal he directed at the Russian summit representative, Moscow's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "Not only have you decided to pull out of this agreement on the Black Sea, but at the same time you are attacking the port infrastructure," he said. "You are blocking the ports that give access to the Black Sea, and even to the Danube." "What cynicism and contempt for African countries," he said, adding that the Black Sea deal had delivered exports of more than 30 million tons so far, chiefly to the most vulnerable nations.

Persons: Charles Michel, Michel, Sergei Lavrov, Tayyip Erdogan, Fumio Kishida, Erdogan's, Shivangi Acharya, Sarita Chaganti Singh, Mayank Bhardwaj, Manoj Kumar, Ekaterina Golubkova, Clarence Fernandez, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: European Union, Russia, European Council, Moscow's, United, Japanese, Reuters, Thomson Locations: DELHI, New Delhi, Africa, Russia, Russian, United Nations, Turkey, Moscow, Ukraine, Europe, Japan, Kyiv

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Leaders' Declaration had been adopted on the first day of the weekend G20 summit in New Delhi. "On the back of the hard work of all the teams, we have received consensus on the G20 Leaders Summit Declaration. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the declaration had "very strong language about Russia's illegal war in Ukraine". The declaration also called for the implementation of the Black Sea initiative for the safe flow of grain, food and fertiliser from Ukraine and Russia. Despite the compromise over the Leaders' Declaration, the summit had been expected to be dominated by the West and its allies.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Joe Biden, Evan Vucci, Germany's Scholz, Modi, Olaf Scholz, Rishi Sunak, Sergei Lavrov, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India's, Biden, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Scholz, Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman, Japan's Fumio, Jon, Manoj Kumar, Katya Golubkova, Krishn Kaushik, Mayank Bhardwaj, Michel Rose, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Sanjeev Miglani, Jacqueline Wong, Kim Coghill, Alexander Smith Organizations: Indian, REUTERS Acquire, British, Foreign, INDIA, India's sherpa, Bharat, African Union, West, United Arab, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Ukraine, Russia, DELHI, Ukrainian, Moscow, CHINA, China, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, Saudi, U.S, Delhi, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, United Arab Emirates

[1/3] A general view of the venue for the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, September 9, 2023. According to a draft of the summit declaration reviewed by Reuters, negotiators were unable to resolve disagreements over the wording on the war in Ukraine, leaving it to the leaders to reach a compromise if possible. According to another senior source in one of the G20 countries, the paragraph on the war on Ukraine had been agreed by Western countries and sent to Russia for its views. The official said Russia had the option to accept Western countries' views and give its dissent as part of the statement. The two-day summit is expected to be dominated by the West and its allies.

Persons: Amit Dave, Joe Biden, Biden, Sergei Lavrov, Creon Butler, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Rishi Sunak, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman, Japan's Fumio, Narendra Modi's, Manoj Kumar, Katya Golubkova, Krishn Kaushik, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Sanjeev Miglani, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: REUTERS, Bharat, Reuters, White, Foreign, West, British, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, India's, Ukraine, Delhi, Russia, Western, EU, Saudi, China, Moscow

☆ Russian Agricultural Bank could have SWIFT access within 30 days, UN tells Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsSept 8 (Reuters) - A Russian Agricultural Bank subsidiary in Luxembourg could immediately apply to SWIFT to "effectively enable access" for the bank to the international payments system within 30 days, the United Nations told Russia in a letter, seen by Reuters on Friday. A key Russian demand has been the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank, Rosselkhozbank, to the SWIFT international payments system. "SWIFT has already confirmed that an expedited application process could be possible, bringing the time for effective access within 30 days," Guterres wrote. Russian fertilizer companies would also have to apply to national authorities within the EU for exemptions and the U.N. would engage with the EU on those requests. "The United Nations can help clarify the authorization process for different EU ports and work with Russian counterparts on obtaining the authorizations/permits pre-departure, if required."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, SWIFT, Antonio Guterres, Sergei Lavrov, Guterres, Lavrov, Russia's, RAB, John Neal, Lloyd's, Michelle Nichols, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, Russian Agricultural Bank, United Nations, Reuters, RSHB Capital S.A, Russian, Black Sea Initiative, Russian Foreign Ministry, UN Secretariat, SWIFT, European Union, UN, RAB, Facility, Lloyd's, RIC, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Bosnia, Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Russia, United, Moscow, Turkey, Ukraine, London, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands

☆ EU's Michel says hard to predict if G20 can agree on declaration
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] European Council President Charles Michel attends a press briefing ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amit Dave Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - It is difficult to predict if leaders of the G20 grouping gathering for a summit in New Delhi this weekend can reach consensus on a declaration, European Council President Charles Michel said on Friday. "It's difficult to predict if it will be possible to have an agreement on the declaration," Michel told a press conference in the Indian capital. He added, "I don't intend to say something that will make the efforts more difficult. Reporting by Manoj Kumar, Chris Thomas; Writing by Shivam Patel; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Charles Michel, Amit Dave, Michel, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergei Lavrov, Li Qiang, Manoj Kumar, Chris Thomas, Shivam Patel, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: European, REUTERS, Beijing, European Union, EU, UN, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, Russia, China, Moscow, Russian

☆ Factbox: Who is attending the G20 summit in New Delhi?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People stand infront of Nataraja, a statue of Hindu lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer, installed next to 'Bharat Mandapam', the main venue of the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, September 7, 2023. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) major economies kick off an annual summit meeting on Saturday to coordinate policy on food security, debt problems of vulnerable countries and climate action. Here is a list of those attending and some key leaders who are skipping the meeting in the Indian capital, New Delhi. G20 LEADERS:ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT ALBERTO FERNANDEZ AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVABRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZINDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI INDONESIAN PRESIDENT JOKO WIDODOITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONIJAPANESE PRIME MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMANSOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT YOON SUK-YEOLTURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDENEUROPEAN UNION: PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION URSULA VON DER LEYEN AND PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, CHARLES MICHELSPECIAL INVITEES:BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINAEGYPT PRESIDENT ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISIMAURITUIUS PRIME MINISTER PRAVIND KUMAR JUGNAUTHNETHERLANDS PRIME MINISTER MARK RUTTE NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU OMAN'S SULTAN HAITHAM BIN TARIK AL-SAID SINGAPORE PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG UAE PRESIDENT SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYEDOTHERS ATTENDINGU.S. Treasury Secretary Janet YellenThe heads of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, the World Trade Organisation, the International Labour Organisation, the Financial Stability Board and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. NOTABLE MISSING GUESTSCHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING (represented by Prime Minister Li Qiang)MEXICAN PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADORRUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN (represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov)Sources: Reuters, officials, state media and domestic mediaCompiled by Aftab Ahmed and Shivangi Acharya; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shiva, Bharat Mandapam, Altaf Hussain, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, ANTHONY ALBANESE, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, EMMANUEL MACRON, OLAF SCHOLZ INDIAN, NARENDRA MODI, JOKO, GIORGIA, FUMIO KISHIDA, FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, YOON SUK, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, JOE BIDEN, URSULA VON DER, CHARLES MICHEL SPECIAL, SHEIKH HASINA, ABDEL FATTAH, PRAVIND KUMAR, MARK RUTTE, BOLA TINUBU, HAITHAM BIN TARIK, LEE HSIEN LOONG, SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED, Janet Yellen, XI JINPING, Li Qiang, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ, VLADIMIR PUTIN, Sergei Lavrov, Aftab Ahmed, Shivangi, Sanjeev Miglani, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA BRITISH, FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA SOUTH, TAYYIP ERDOGAN U.S, OF, EUROPEAN, CHARLES MICHEL SPECIAL INVITEES, ABDEL FATTAH AL, Treasury, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Health Organisation, World Trade Organisation, International Labour Organisation, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, Foreign, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, BANGLADESH, SHEIKH HASINA EGYPT, NETHERLANDS, SINGAPORE, LEE HSIEN LOONG UAE, MEXICAN, RUSSIAN

On Wednesday, China's Li warned against starting a "new Cold War" and warned countries against taking sides in any conflict. Harris, attending the meetings instead of President Joe Biden, reiterated a U.S. commitment to the region. "The United States has an enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and more broadly to the Indo-Pacific," she said. A White House official said earlier the U.S. shared interests with ASEAN in "upholding the rules-based international order, including in the South China Sea, in the face of China's unlawful maritime claims and provocative actions". The Chinese premier and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met briefly on the sidelines of the summit on Wednesday and discussed Japan's release into the sea of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, Lee Hsien Loong, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarun, Pham Minh Chinh, Fumio, Yoon Suk Yeol, Joko, Kamala Harris, Li Qiang, Sergei Lavrov, China's Li, Harris, Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel Organizations: Singapore's, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam's, Japan's, ASEAN, Russian, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, White, U.S, Japanese, Thomson Locations: Philippines, Fumio Kishida, South, JAKARTA, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, South China, Myanmar, Korea, Russia, United States, Southeast Asia, China, Laos

A man walks past an installation on a skywalk ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 6, 2023. But the deliberations of the world's 20 biggest economies have been hindered by differences over Russia's invasion of Ukraine that have hardened since last year's Bali summit, delegates said. Western countries want a strong condemnation as a condition for agreeing to a Delhi declaration. India has suggested that the G20, while condemning the suffering caused by Russia's invasion, also reflect Moscow and Beijing's view that the forum is not the place for geopolitics. G20 sherpas have been going back and forth over the document for four days before leaders begin deliberations on Saturday.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Joe Biden, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, Creon Butler, Butler, Krishn Kaushik, Sanjeev Miglani, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Russian, Economy, thinktank, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, Russia, China, Bali, Delhi, Moscow

He will have at least one advantage: Chinese President Xi Jinping will not be at the meetings. "But the question ... is whether the United States will be able to step up." FAST GROWTH, HIGH DEBTChinese Premier Li Qiang will represent China at the G20 as its leaders cope with sagging growth and a possible property debt crisis. For his part, Xi is also finding new ways to engage the developing world, hosting a gathering of Central Asian leaders and discussing development in May. Xi is also expected to attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco in November, where he may meet with Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden, Leah Millis, Biden, Xi Jinping, Zack Cooper, Li Qiang, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Jake Sullivan, Donald Trump's, Sullivan, White, Khulu Mbatha, Cyril Ramaphosa, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Michael Martina, Carien du, Don Durfee, Grant McCool Organizations: Warehouse Union, Pacific Maritime Association, White, REUTERS, Rights, World Bank, Bank, U.S, Partnership for Global Infrastructure, Investment, American Enterprise Institute, IMF, Global, White House, Trump, Republican, South, Central Asian, United, United Arab Emirates, Economic Cooperation, Biden, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, India, United States, Africa, Latin America, Asia, Washington, China, Russian, East, Central Asia, Saharan Africa, People's Republic, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, Beijing, Moscow, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, United Arab, San Francisco, Carien du Plessis, Johannesburg

☆ India's G20 presidency risks ringing hollow as Ukraine war dashes hopes of consensus
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

US President Joe Biden, right, and Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, at an arrival ceremony during a state visit on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, June 22, 2023. One of the risks is that by elevating India's presidency of the G20 so much, there are now expectations for India to deliver some concrete breakthroughs. Russia-Ukraine impasseIndeed, the specter of Russia's Ukraine invasion has loomed large over G20 meetings for the various tracks that India has convened. He even labeled it the "biggest achievement" of India's G20 presidency so far — despite Russia and China abstaining. This development serves to buttress India's burgeoning economic clout, the basis of its greater confidence and assertiveness geopolitically.

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, India's, haven't, Manjari Chatterjee, Modi, Manjari Chatterjee Miller, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Putin, Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, Chaudhuri, Sergei Lavrov —, Putin —, CFR's Miller, Eurasia Group's Chaudhuri, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Sumedha Dasgupta, Biden, Taiwan —, assertiveness, It's, Pravin Krishna Johns Organizations: White, Bloomberg, Getty, Indian, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Manjari Chatterjee Miller, Foreign, Council, Foreign Relations, CNBC, Global, African Union, UN, Group Russia's, West, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, India's, Economist Intelligence Unit, Moscow, . Warming, Apple, Pravin Krishna Johns Hopkins University's School, International Locations: Washington , DC, New Delhi, India, Ukraine, Pakistan, South Asia, Washington ,, Russia, China, Varanasi, Bali, Eurasia, Asia, U.S, . Warming India, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Beijing

That means the two-day summit from September 9 will be dominated by the West and its allies. The G20 leaders who will attend include U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman and Japan's Fumio Kishida. "If the leaders' summit is a flop, New Delhi and especially Modi will have suffered a major diplomatic, and political, setback," Kugelman said. "The positions have hardened since the Bali Summit," a senior Indian government official told Reuters, referring to the 2022 summit held in Indonesia. Lavrov said last week Russia will block the final declaration of the G20 summit unless it reflects Moscow's position on Kyiv and other crises.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin's, Joe Biden, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman, Japan's, Michael Kugelman, Narendra Modi, Modi, Kugelman, Joko Widodo, Justin Trudeau, Sergei Lavrov, Putin, battlelines, Trudeau, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Lavrov, David Boling, N.K, Singh, Larry Summers, Katya Golubkova, Kentaro Sugiyama, Sakura Murakami Organizations: REUTERS, West, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, Indian, New, Reuters, Bali, Canada's, Russian, Diplomats, Eurasia Group, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, China, Russia, Saudi, Washington, Bali, Indonesia, Indonesian, CHINA, Brazil, South Africa, Johannesburg, U.S, Tokyo

☆ G20 New Delhi summit 2023: Which countries and leaders will attend?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A paramilitary soldier stands guard outside Le Meridien hotel during a rehearsal ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 2, 2023. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAKSunak is expected attend the summit on his first official trip to India as Britain's prime minister. GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZScholz has said the upcoming G20 summit in India remains important despite the absence of Russia and China. SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSARamaphosa has expressed full support for India's G20 presidency while conveying his intent to attend the summit. BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINABangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi, according to Indian media reports.

Persons: Le, Adnan Abidi, JOE BIDEN Biden, Biden, XI, Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Xi, VLADIMIR PUTIN, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, JUSTIN TRUDEAU Trudeau, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, RISHI SUNAK Sunak, KISHIDA, ANTHONY ALBANESE, YOON SUK, YEOL Yoon, OLAF SCHOLZ Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON, Modi, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA Ramaphosa, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ Fernandez, BOLA TINUBU Tinubu, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, URSULA VON DER, CHARLES MICHEL The, SHEIKH HASINA, Sheikh Hasina, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, JOKO, Aftab Ahmed, Shivangi, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Criminal Court, ICC, BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, SOUTH, Associated Press, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN, African Union, NIGERIA'S, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA Brazil, OF, EUROPEAN, CHARLES MICHEL The European Union, BANGLADESH, Thomson Locations: Le Meridien, New Delhi, India, DELHI, India's, Ukraine, U.S, RUSSIAN, Russia, South Africa, Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Saudi, SHEIKH HASINA Bangladesh, Bangladesh, MELONI Italy

☆ With grain deal in focus, Putin to meet Erdogan in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"The current status (of the grain deal) will be discussed at the summit on Monday. Putin has said Russia could return to the grain deal if the West fulfils a separate memorandum agreed with the United Nations at the same time to facilitate Russian food and fertiliser exports. Ahead of the Erdogan talks, Ukrainian officials said Russia launched an overnight air attack on one of Ukraine's major grain exporting ports. In its report on the Erdogan meeting, Russian state television said promises made to Russia must be implemented. For Russia, Erdogan is a key broker - and one respected personally by Putin.

Persons: Mehmet Bey, Mehmet Emin Calsikan, Erdogan, Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Russia, Dmitry Peskov, Akif Cagatay Kilic, Kilic, Russia's, António Guterres, Sergei Lavrov, Maria Zakharova, Guy Faulconbridge, Lidia Kelly, Michelle Nichols, Robert Birsel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, UN, Kremlin, United, Haber, United Nations, Russian, Russian Agricultural Bank, SWIFT, Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Yenikapi, Istanbul, Turkey, Sochi Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine MOSCOW, Russia's Black, Sochi, United Nations, Moscow, Izmail, Ukraine's Odesa, EU, Russian, Melbourne, Ankara

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