Germany, France say G20 statement must refer to Ukraine 'war'

Germany and France insisted that any joint statement from the ongoing G20 finance ministers meeting must refer to the Ukraine "war", following reports that host India wanted to avoid the word.

Organising a raft of Group of 20 meetings during its presidency this year puts India in an awkward position, as it has refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine by its biggest arms supplier Russia.

Russia is a member of the G20 but does not have a ministerial-level representative at the gathering.

"For a year we have been witnesses of this awful war in Ukraine started by Russia. And especially on a day like this, and at an occasion such as a G20 event, we need absolute clarity," German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said, alluding to the one-year anniversary of the February 24 invasion.

"This is a war. And this war has a cause, has one cause, and that is Russia and Vladimir Putin. That must be expressed clearly at this G20 finance meeting," Lindner told a news conference.

That declaration, issued in Bali, said "most members strongly condemned the war".

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire echoed Lindner, saying Paris "will oppose any step back from the statement of the leaders in Bali on this question of the war in Ukraine".

"We fully trust India to reach a strong communique," Le Maire told a news conference.

The apparent deadlock raises the probability that the meeting in Bengaluru will fail to yield any joint statement, as was the case at similar gatherings since Russia's invasion.