US President Donald Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit scheduled to take place in Miami, Florida, in December, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed.
Rubio disclosed the invitation on Wednesday in New York after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The invitation comes as Washington continues diplomatic efforts aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Explaining the decision, Rubio said direct engagement with opposing parties was necessary to resolve major international disputes.
“In order to solve problems, you have to meet with the people that you disagree with or the people that you might have some issues with,” Rubio told reporters in New York on Wednesday.
“So we’ve invited President Putin to the G20,” he added.
“We think it’s an opportunity for him to engage not just with the president but with other world leaders. We hope that’s an invitation he’ll accept,” Rubio said.
The invitation was made shortly after Rubio held talks with Lavrov, with discussions taking place against the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic efforts over the conflict in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has said it will consider the invitation through diplomatic channels. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was grateful for the invitation but had yet to make a final decision on Putin’s attendance.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to address the United Nations as Kyiv continues to seek additional international support, including stronger air-defence capabilities amid continued Russian drone and missile attacks.
At the UN Security Council, Lavrov said Moscow would not pause its military operation in Ukraine.
“We are not going to have a pause in our special military operation,” Lavrov said, accusing Europe of wanting to use a halt to the fighting to “pump the Kyiv regime with weapons.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, speaking after Lavrov, criticised Moscow’s position and said it demonstrated Russia’s approach to the conflict.
“Russia’s war against Europe is no longer hybrid. Instead of safeguarding peace, Russia is spreading war. That’s everyone’s problem.”
The proposed G20 meeting could provide another opportunity for discussions involving Trump, Putin and other world leaders as diplomatic efforts over the Ukraine conflict continue. Whether Putin will ultimately attend remains to be decided by the Russian government.
