The G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro concluded with intense discussions on the Ukraine conflict and global climate initiatives.

The event saw Ukraine's allies and Russia blaming each other for the escalation in Europe's ongoing war.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged G20 leaders to revitalize UN climate talks in Azerbaijan, emphasizing the planet's survival.

U.S. President Joe Biden, attending his final summit before Donald Trump assumes office, also called for urgent climate action.

Meanwhile, Biden's policy shift permitting Ukrainian strikes inside Russia drew global attention away from Brazil’s key G20 topics.

This shift was in response to reported North Korean troops supporting Russia.

The Kremlin responded by easing its nuclear weapon use guidelines, raising alarms among Western nations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of a potential U.S.-Russia conflict, while leaders like British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Russia's rhetoric.

French President Emmanuel Macron sought China's Xi Jinping's diplomatic intervention with Russia.

The G20's closing statement avoided directly addressing Russian aggression, expressing support for peace efforts in Ukraine.

President Lula highlighted the urgency for climate discussions, pointing to the COP29 talks in Baku and warning that further delays could cause irreversible damage.

He successfully rallied for initiatives to tackle global hunger and to increase taxation on billionaires, despite climate finance discussions falling short.

The G20 presidency passed to South Africa as the summit wrapped up.