A US-European rift over Ukraine is set to dominate the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, starting Saturday, further amplified by US President Donald Trump’s notable absence.
The summit brings together a host of world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
However, Trump is boycotting the event, with his administration arguing that South Africa’s priorities—particularly advancing global trade cooperation and climate action—clash with US policy objectives.
Despite his absence, Trump remains a central figure, following his surprise unilateral plan to end the war in Ukraine, widely perceived as aligning with Russian interests.
European leaders, including Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, held urgent discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stress that any peace plan requires the consensus of European partners and NATO allies.
On Saturday, European leaders are scheduled to meet on the sidelines to reaffirm that “nothing about Ukraine should be decided without Ukraine,” said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. A follow-up session is planned at the EU-Africa Union summit in Angola on Monday and Tuesday.
Trump has warned Ukraine that it has a limited window to accept his 28-point plan, telling Fox News Radio that Thursday would be “an appropriate time” to respond.
Climate Deadlock Overshadows G20
Another point of tension at the summit is the COP30 climate negotiations in Brazil, which have been stalled for nearly two weeks. Petro-states have resisted references to fossil fuel phaseouts in the final agreement, raising concerns about the talks’ conclusion.
Despite these obstacles, host South Africa remains optimistic about securing global backing for its G20 priorities: reducing economic inequalities, alleviating debt in low-income countries, supporting clean-energy transitions, and establishing a critical minerals pact.
“As South Africa, we hope to have the leaders’ declaration adopted, which will set a new and ongoing agenda for the world, particularly the G20,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.
Negotiators from participating countries finalized a draft joint text ahead of the summit, though sources said they could not disclose its contents. It remains unclear whether a formal declaration will be issued, given the US boycott and Washington’s warning that no G20 statement should be issued in its name.
Ramaphosa, who has rejected Trump’s unfounded allegations of a “white genocide” in South Africa, emphasized the summit’s role in multilateral cooperation.
“Multilateralism is our best, maybe our only defence against disruption, violence, and chaos. South Africa has put multilateralism to work,” said European Council President Antonio Costa.
The US boycott mirrors Washington’s decision to limit its presence at COP30, sending only its charge d’affaires for the handover ceremony.
The United States is set to host the next G20 summit at a Trump-owned golf club in Florida.
The G20 consists of 19 countries, the European Union, and the African Union, representing 85% of global GDP and roughly two-thirds of the world’s population.
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