European leaders pledge support for Ukraine on 1,000 days of war

Speaking at the end of the first day of the G20 Summit in Brazil on Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised the UK would double down on its support for Kyiv.

He made the statement a day ahead of 19 November, which marks the 1,000th day since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"That's a thousand days of aggression from Russia, and a thousand days of sacrifice from Ukraine. So that is my clear message here. It's number one on my agenda," he said.

The British PM added that he would not specify operational details as he believes this could benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin, but said the UK's number one priority is to continue supporting Ukraine for as long as it needs.

French President Emmanuel Macron mirrored Starmer's sentiment and said it is France's duty to help Ukraine resist the invasion: "It is a war of resistance. To protect its territory."

The president also warned that the change in the conflict triggered by the involvement of North Korean troops should not be underestimated.

"The only power escalating this conflict today is Russia, by involving North Korea, which is known to be a very aggressive power engaged in a nuclear program with long-range missiles. We are witnessing a true turning point in this war that has led to the Americans' choice," he said.

Earlier this week, Biden authorised Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia.

“The United States strongly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Everyone around this table in my view should, as well,” Biden said during the summit.

Leaders of the world's 20 major economies issued a joint declaration in which they called for a global pact to combat hunger, peace in Ukraine, more aid for Gaza and to end the hostilities in the Middle East.

The pact highlights the dire humanitarian situation in both Ukraine and Gaza but avoids attributing blame to Russia or Israel. It also lacks specifics on how its stated goals will be achieved.

The document also called for a possible tax on global billionaires, and leaders pledged to work for “transformative reform” of the UN Security Council so that it reflects “the realities and demands of the 21st century, makes it more representative, inclusive, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable.”

Aside from lacking specificity, it also fell short of complete unanimity. Argentina, for example, challenged some of the language in the initial drafts and did not endorse the complete document.

More aid for Gaza and an end of hostilities

The declaration stressed the urgent need for increased humanitarian aid and greater protection for civilians regarding Israel's war on Gaza, which has so far claimed over 43,000 Palestinian lives.

The document stated: “Affirming the Palestinian right to self-determination, we reiterate our unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution where Israel and a Palestinian State live side by side in peace."

The document did not mention the hostages held by Hamas or the suffering in Israel, which is not a G20 member, diverging from US President Joe Biden's position on the matter. Before the declaration was finalised, Biden urged leaders to "increase the pressure on Hamas" to accept a ceasefire, holding them solely responsible for the war.

Fighting global hunger

As a key priority for Brazil's President Lula da Silva, much of the declaration focused on eradicating hunger.

“We’ve put, as the Brazilian G20 presidency, the launch of a global alliance against hunger and poverty as the central goal. This will be our biggest legacy. It is not only about making justice. This is an essential condition to build a more prosperous and peaceful world," Lula said in his opening address.

On Monday, Lula launched the alliance to combat hunger and poverty in Rio de Janeiro, with 82 nations signing on, according to Brazil’s government.

Viviana Santiago, Director of Oxfam, praised Brazil for using its G20 presidency “to respond to people’s demands worldwide to tackle extreme inequality, hunger and climate breakdown, and particularly for rallying action on taxing the super-rich.”

On Saturday, the NGO Rio da Paz (Rio for Peace) scattered 733 empty plates, representing people who suffer from world hunger, across Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro to draw attention to global hunger.

According to the United Nations, 733 million people were left hungry in 2023.