G20 Talks in Atlanta Expose Global Divisions
G20 Divisions Put U.S. Push for Global Cooperation to the Test Introduction Foreign ministers from the world’s largest economies gathered in Atlanta as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East exposed deep divides within the Group of 20. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged countries to find common ground, but the meeting was expected to end without a joint declaration, underscoring how hard it has become for major powers to agree on a shared response to global crises. Disputes over Ukraine overshadow the meeting Russia’s participation, following an invitation from Rubio, drew objections from several European officials and other G20 members. The disagreement was visible even before substantive talks: the United States dropped the traditional group photo after European representatives said they would not pose alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The exchange over Ukraine remained pointed. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband criticized Russia’s attacks on civilians, ...