The refusal of the leadership of Russia and China to attend the G20 summit in Rome and the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow was a mistake.
This opinion was expressed by US President Joe Biden, speaking on Tuesday at a press conference at the end of the two-day summit of heads of state and government in the framework of COP26.
He was asked to comment on the fact that Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend the G20 and COP26. “I noted that the absence of China, Russia and Saudi Arabia is a problem,” the president said. “We appeared [on the forums]. And by our appearance, we had a profound impact on how I think the rest of the world views the United States and its leadership role,” the head of the White House believes.
“I think it was a big mistake, frankly, that China did not show up [in both forums]. The rest of the world will look at China and ask what value it [China] is? And they have lost the ability to influence people all over the world. and to all the people here at COP26. I would say the same with regard to Russia, “Biden argued.
“The fact that China, for obvious reasons, trying to defend a new role <…> as a world leader, does not appear. Come on! Climate is the most important thing that attracts the attention of the whole world. Everywhere,” the head of the Washington administration said later.
In addition, he declared Moscow’s “silence” on the issue of combating climate change. “It’s the same with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, in Russia. You know, his tundra is on fire. The tundra is literally on fire. He [in the country] has serious, serious climate problems, but he is silent about his willingness to do something “- Biden argued.
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