World Leaders Meet at G20 Summit Amid Global Inflation, Recession Fears

Leaders from the world’s top economies met in Bali, Indonesia for the annual G20 summit on Tuesday, as countries around the world faced high inflation and the threat of a potential economic downturn. 

Russia in Focus: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the “G19” virtually and reasserted Ukraine’s independence. Russia, a G20 member, sent Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the summit instead of President Vladimir Putin. New U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak criticized Putin’s absence and said ending Russia’s invasion was “the single biggest difference that anyone could make” for the global economy. Lavrov, on the other hand, criticized the West’s purported “obsession” with the war. 

China, India, and the U.S. Make Waves: Chinese President Xi Jinping met with several U.S. allies Tuesday morning, and Indian President Narendra Modi met in-person with U.S. President Joe Biden. The same day, the White House announced a $20 billion joint plan with 11 other nations to help Indonesia transition away from coal energy.

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was common across the spectrum, particularly in business and global outlets like The Guardian (Lean Left bias). While coverage from the left and center focused on a range of issues, coverage from the right tended to focus more on Biden, often highlighting that he skipped the G20 gala.