The G20 foreign ministers' meeting took place in the southeastern Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro and spanned February 21-22. The meeting, which was supposed to be a low-key event, unexpectedly revealed a brilliant debate on the international stage.
According to the US "Washington Post" on 22 July, in an unexpected observer incident, the United States was sharply criticized, including "close allies," because of its opposition to an immediate ceasefire. The debate at the closed-door meeting was intense, with representatives from many countries, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, expressing different views.
According to the Washington Post, due to the mistake of the reporter's headset, some ** reporters misheard the content of the meeting during the closed-door meeting, which also made some of the discussions inside the meeting ** outside.
At the meeting, Australia supported an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and issued a strong warning about Israeli military action. Australian Treasurer Conor Gallagher stressed: "Once again, we are telling Israel that this is unjustified. The representative of South Africa was even more vocal in accusing Israel of genocide and calling on world leaders to take action to end the Palestinian tragedy.
The debate has raised concerns about America's position and influence in international affairs. Some observers believe that the United States' position in the world has changed significantly from last year's G20 summit hosted by India. Last year, Blinken tried to strengthen the United States' international standing by criticizing Russia, and now diplomats are questioning the United States' position on the Gaza war in the same way.
In an interview with reporters after the meeting, Blinken said that despite differences on the issue of an "immediate ceasefire", countries are basically unanimous: support efforts to reach a qualitative agreement, extend the humanitarian ceasefire, and find a way to end the conflict.
However, the Washington Post pointed out that the divisions exposed by this unexpected audit incident may affect Biden's support at home. There are even fears that in the Middle East, American influence may be replaced by China.
The unexpected events of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting have made people re-examine the complexity and change of international relations. International affairs tend to influence domestic politics, and Biden's Middle East policy could also be an important issue in the 2024 elections.
Against this backdrop, we can't help but ask: how to strike a balance between international affairs and domestic politics? Will China's rise in the Middle East change the situation in the region? And how should countries respond to these challenges?
Overall, the debates and divisions exposed by the G20 foreign ministers' meeting are part of international relations. We hope that all countries will be able to take a more pragmatic and balanced attitude and jointly contribute to regional and world peace and stability. After all, it is only through cooperation and consultation that the best way to solve problems can be found.