G20 'Member Countries' Out, 'Non-Member Countries' In... Trump Shakes 27-Year Multilateral Diplomatic System

Did Trump’s “Political Rapport” with the Polish President Play a Role?
South Korea to Assume G20 Presidency in 2028... Foreign Ministry: Poland’s Membership Bid to Be “Discussed and Reviewed with Member States”

Preparations for this year's Group of 20 (G20) summit, which will cap off the year in multilateral diplomacy, have been marked by one unprecedented development after another. While the United States, the host country, is strongly pushing to elevate Poland to full membership, South Africa, a member and last year's host, has been excluded from the list of invitees altogether. The foundations of a multilateral diplomatic system that has endured for 27 years are being shaken.

The stated reason the United States is seeking to bring Poland into the G20 as a full member is "the economy." A State Department official said, "Under President Donald Trump, we have pursued a 'back to basics' approach to refocus G20 discussions on economic growth and prosperity," adding that "any changes to G20 membership must directly support that goal." The official also stressed that "Poland's long-standing economic growth and international leadership make it an ideal contributor to G20 discussions," and that "G20 members have already seen this in meetings of working groups and ministers hosted by the United States." This is seen as a reminder that the G20 began in 1999 as a "meeting of finance ministers." It was elevated to the leaders' level in 2008 in the wake of the global financial crisis.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump. Yonhap News.

Some diplomatic observers also believe that the "personal rapport" between U.S. President Donald Trump and Polish President Karol Nawrocki is a factor. Nawrocki, a conservative and nationalist, is viewed as politically aligned with the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement, a key base of support for Trump. During Poland's presidential election campaign last year, Trump invited Nawrocki, then a candidate, to the White House and effectively voiced his public support for him. Since Nawrocki took office, the United States and Poland have also grown closer on security issues concerning Russia. Poland is pursuing plans to build a U.S. military base in the country with a force of 15,000 troops.

However, admitting new members to the G20 requires unanimous agreement from existing members. The African Union (AU) joined in 2023, but the membership of the 19 individual countries, excluding the union, has remained unchanged since the G20 was established 27 years ago. This year, in particular, South Africa has been excluded from the list of invitees altogether, making unanimous agreement practically impossible. Opposition is also expected from BRICS countries, which are close to China and Russia.

The G20 presidency will pass to the United Kingdom next year and then to South Korea in 2028. If the issue of Poland joining the G20, raised by the United States, is not resolved this year, it may well carry over into next year. A Foreign Ministry official said, "We plan to continue considering the matter in consultation with the host country and other members."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.