“Lame Duck” Brazil G20 Summit is Coming

The mist-shrouded Sugar Loaf Mountains, the heavily armed military at Copacabana and residents relatively relaxed due to an extra public holiday – this is how the Brazilian metropolis of Rio de Janeiro welcomed G20 summit attendees. Host and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva hopes to meet with the heads of state and government of the 20 most important industrialized and emerging countries at the two-day meeting starting on Monday Committed to fighting hunger and climate change Ablingen.

There is another Reconstructing the international system This is one of the goals announced by Brazil when it assumed the G20 presidency. Lula has repeatedly criticized the UN Security Council as unreliable and accused the World Bank and other international financial institutions of interfering too much in the internal affairs of various countries. Lula regards Brazil as the mouthpiece of countries in the southern hemisphere and hopes to make the voices of emerging countries heard by more people.

Scholz: Make the multipolar world a better world

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is open to this. “New powers are emerging on the world stage, and that is a good thing. But at the same time, of course, the restructuring of the world means that many things have to be discussed and renegotiated,” he said before setting off for Rio de Janeiro. This is to make this multi-polar world a better world.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (left) shakes hands with Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni the day before the opening of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.Image: trapezoid

President Lula, known for his social policy innovations, is innovating again. The weekend before the G20 summit saw the first social summit, where issues such as climate, affordable housing and indigenous rights were discussed in a converted hall of Rio's new port. Lula wants to show that the G20 does not isolate itself but embraces civilians.

He promised to incorporate the outcomes of the Social Summit into the G20 meeting. and called on people to protest if national leaders do not meet the demands. But expectations are tempered by numerous international crises, “lame ducks” — outgoing politicians with limited influence — and the return of Donald Trump to the White House, whose shadow is already looming.

Trump at the door — a short-lived decision?

Scholz's alliance in Berlin has collapsed and US President Joe Biden is set to leave office in January – so both men will head to Rio as political heavyweights. After Trump's first term ended, Biden assured his partners that they could rely on the United States – and he emphasized the high value of international alliances and agreements.

Trump, his predecessor and successor, relied on isolationism and “America First” in foreign policy. Cooperation and equal communication are not the political style of the Republican Party. He also wants to refocus climate policy. On the big stage in Rio, Biden had to face the fact that many of his achievements over the past four years were likely to be erased again.

Ukraine was not invited and not officially on the agenda

In Rio, Democrats have another opportunity to push support for Ukraine. After the outbreak of Russia's aggressive war, Biden rallied the West to support Ukraine and provided billions of dollars in arms deliveries to Kiev. This should be history under Trump—Republicans want a quick end to the war and have repeatedly made clear that military aid will soon dry up.

On the eve of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on November 18-19, 2024, dozens of activists and indigenous leaders are calling on G20 countries to make clear commitments to protect the Amazon.Image: trapezoid

Lula didn't even want to bring up Russia's war in Ukraine at the G20 summit. “We have not invited Ukrainian President Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend. We do not believe that this G20 forum will be a place to discuss a war between the two countries,” he told French broadcaster TF1 in an interview. Traveling to Rio would be risky for Putin in any case because the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for him for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

The G20 group is the only discussion format in which Russia and NATO countries still sit at the same table with high-level representatives. Scholz was criticized for his first phone call with Putin in nearly two years on Friday. He does not plan to speak in Rio with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who represents Putin. He will talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the war in Ukraine, considered Putin's most important ally, according to people close to him.

Lula brings hope to the poorest

Regardless, Lula's top priority at the summit will be fighting hunger. The G20 summit opened on Monday, with the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty signaling the launch. Member states, including Germany, want to exchange experiences and coordinate food security measures within the organization. During his first term, Lula lifted millions of Brazilians out of extreme poverty through the Fome Zero program and family social benefits.

“I want to say to the millions of hungry people in the world, to the children who don't know if they will get something to eat: Maybe today there will be nothing, but tomorrow there will be something,” Lula said. (Sudanese Development Authority/Politics department)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky aims to end the war with Russia “through diplomatic means” next year. In an interview with Ukrainian radio on Saturday, Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin “doesn't want peace at all.”