Japanese PM Kishida slams Russia for invasion of Ukraine; says it's shaking very foundation of G20 cooperation

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday said the Russian invasion of Ukraine is 'shaking' the very foundation of cooperation at the G20 and the declaration of the grouping's summit highlighted the need for respecting territorial integrity of all states.

At a media briefing, Kishida said the G20 leaders' declaration unveiled under India's presidency is a truly meaningful achievement and that all members of the grouping underlined the importance of a "just and durable" peace in Ukraine

"Russia's aggression of Ukraine is shaking the very foundation of cooperation at the G20...Further, it is causing enormous impact to the world economy through factors such as protracted rise of food and energy prices," he said.

"Today, as the world faces complex crises, collaboration at the G20 as a premier forum for economic cooperation is becoming increasingly important," Kishida added.

The declaration issued at the G20's Bali summit last November had deplored in the strongest terms the Russian aggression against Ukraine while most members strongly condemned the war.

The G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration refers only to the 'war in Ukraine' and noted with "deep concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world".

In reference to the Ukraine conflict, it also has a line that 'there were different views and assessments of the situation'.

Both Russia and China had agreed to the two paragraphs on the Ukraine conflict in the Bali declaration, but they backtracked from it this year creating difficulties for India.

In his remarks, Kishida also described India as an 'indispensable partner' for Japan in its aim to achieve a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific'.

On the Ukraine issue, he said most of the G20 member nations confirmed the need for the bloc to respond to the intensifying impact of the Ukraine crisis on the global economy.

To a question on whether the G20 has been gaining prominence as the UN is seen as a dysfunctional body, Kishida said the G20 cannot replace the functions of the UN.

"While the G20 cannot replace the functions of the UN, Japan will continue to deal with the challenges facing the international community through the G20 framework, which we think is playing a very important role, as well as utilising other frameworks," he said.