G20 Foreign ministers’ meeting: EAM heads to South Africa amid US, Russia talks on Ukraine war

In his first week in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end DEI policies and hiring practices in the federal workforce.

“I think the whole topic of the G20 gathering is one that I don’t think we should be focused on, talking about global inclusion, equity, and these sorts of things,” Rubio later told the press. Instead, he emphasised that the focus should be on issues like “like terrorism and energy security and the real threats to the national security of multiple countries.”

In Rubio’s absence, the US will still be represented likely at a lower level, the South African government has confirmed. This year marks the first time an African country is in the rotating presidency position of the G20.

Announcing Jaishankar’s visit Wednesday, the MEA in a statement said that the minister’s participation will “strengthen” India’s engagement with G20 countries and “bolster the voice of the Global South” in this important forum.

Jaishankar’s visit comes close on the heels of his visit to the US and then to the Munich Security Conference.

As part of the US and Russia talks seeking to end the war in Ukraine, Rubio and NSA Mike Waltz met a Russian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh this week.

India, which has so far advocated for “dialogue and diplomacy” to resolve the conflict, is yet to take a position as it watches the talks in Riyadh closely.

PM Narendra Modi has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that “this is not the era of war” and “solutions can’t be found on the battlefield”. In fact, India had been able to hammer out a joint communique by bringing both Russians and US-led West on board on the language on Russia-Ukraine war during the G20 leaders’ summit in 2023.

In Johannesburg, during the Foreign ministers’ meeting and bilaterals on the sidelines, the issue of negotiations to end the war is expected to be discussed. India will have to craft a response soon on how it views the US-Russia negotiations .

Ronald Lamola, South African minister of international relations and cooperation, told local TV that the meeting’s agenda has been adopted by all G20 members and carries on the themes from previous summits, such as the one in Brazil last year.