G20 Summit 2023: The United States has said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy having a 'role in G20' would be a 'good thing'. Speaking in a press gaggle aboard Air Force One, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the US view is very much that having President Zelenskyy at the G20 Summit hosted under India's Presidency would be a good thing, reported ANI. Sullivan added that Zelenskyy has been persistent in his capacity to engage all of the leaders who are seated at the table.  


"Look from our perspective anytime President Zelenskyy gets the opportunity to address a body, a group is a good thing. We believe that about the G20, he addressed it last year but President Zelenskyy has been relentless in his capacity to engage all of the leaders who are seated at the table and we also saw in Jeddah not long ago many of the key countries of the G20 including from the Global South sit with Ukrainians in the same room to talk through the principles of adjust and durable peace including sovereignty and territorial Integrity," the US NSA said while responding to the question of Zelenskyy not being invited for the G20 Summit in Delhi. 


"So, I feel good about where we are. Although the US view is very much that having Zelenskyy have a role in this G20 would be a good thing," he added.  


Notably, earlier this year, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said that the Ministry of External Affairs at the time of the launch of the G20 Presidency had shared details regarding the nations that will be invited as guests.  


On Ukraine’s participation, Kwatra said, "As far as Ukraine’s invitation is concerned, see, during the presser that we did at the time of launch of the G20 presidency, it was made clear as to which nations are invited as guests, including obviously, the G20 members. The list of those countries was shared with you. We have not made any changes or addition in that list." 


 


G20 Effective Despite Ukraine War, Russia’s General Absence: US 


Meanwhile, ahead of the two-day summit, US Secretary of the Treasury, Janet L. Yellen shared views on the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to not attend the G20 Summit in Delhi,  


Yellen said, "It is important to emphasise that the G20 is a prime solution to the global challenges. We see it as a premier organisation on a global basis that is taking on critical challenges facing the global economy and particularly the global South. I believe the G20, in spite of obvious problems due to Russia's war against Ukraine and Russia's general absence from G20 initiatives, has been extremely effective, especially under India's leadership. Our goals for the G20 have coincided closely with those of India. We have tackled very important challenges. I think we have had considerable success in changing the way the entire multilateral development system is operating..." 






Addressing the concerns raised by the World Bank on high interest rates and slow global growth, Yellen said, "Certainly, we are aware of the risk to global growth. The most negative influence is Russia's war on Ukraine which has escalated energy & food prices." 


"At many G20 meetings...have stated repeatedly, that the most important thing we could do for global growth is for Russia to end its brutal war on Ukraine...Recently the IMF has somewhat improved its economic projections..," she added. 






On the India-US relationship, Yellen said they hope to move forward with efforts such as supporting the global agriculture and food security program. 


"...Continuing to advance the US-India relationship will be a priority this week. We highly value our bilateral relationship with India. We also welcomed PM Modi to the US in June. The United States is the home to the largest Indian diaspora outside Asia and is India's largest export market..," she added. 


This is the first time when India is hosting the G20 Summit. The mega meet will take place at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on September 9-10.  India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 last year.