The two-day G20 summit opens today amid an unusually strained atmosphere, marked by a US boycott and sharp disagreements over Washington’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine. According to DPA, the gathering begins without several key world leaders, significantly shaping the tone of this year’s meeting.
The White House confirmed that the US government will not take part, with spokesperson Carolyn Levitt stating that Washington is “not participating in the summit hosted by South Africa.” She also criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa for “speaking without thinking,” noting that the administration views his recent remarks unfavorably.
South Africa holds the rotating G20 presidency for 2025, bringing together the world’s 19 largest economies plus the European and African Unions. The forum serves as a central platform for coordinating global economic policy, financial stability, and responses to international crises.
Alongside the leaders’ meeting, the G20 includes a series of ministerial gatherings covering finance, labor, tourism, trade, and other sectors. Summits of this scale typically draw significant political attention, heightened diplomatic pressures, and extensive security measures — dynamics that are now intensified by geopolitical fractures and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
