Kremlin Welcomes US Invitation for Putin to Attend G20 Summit

The Kremlin has expressed approval of the United States' invitation for Russian President Vladimir Putin to take part in the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Miami, scheduled for mid-December. This move comes as Washington endeavors to negotiate a resolution to Russia's ongoing war. The invitation was communicated through diplomatic channels, according to the Clash Report on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed the invitation on Wednesday, following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Rubio stated, "We've invited President Putin to the G20. We think it's an opportunity for him to engage not just with the president but with other world leaders," adding that the invitation does not indicate an imminent meeting.

The invitation follows US President Donald Trump's remarks on Tuesday, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the same summit. Trump expressed uncertainty about the location of a potential meeting between Putin and Zelensky at the G20 summit but confirmed that the Russian leader is willing to engage and seeks an end to the war.

As of now, Putin has not accepted any of Zelensky's repeated invitations to meet in person, nor did he attend this year's UNGA, where Lavrov represented Russia. Earlier, Zelensky and Trump had their first meeting after diplomatic momentum created by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who conducted three-hour talks with Putin in Moscow on September 5, followed by an informal dinner with Russian officials.

Subsequently, they traveled to Kyiv, their first joint visit during their tenure as Washington's intermediaries. All three parties - Ukraine, the US, and Russia - described the meetings as fruitful and positive. Despite welcoming the invitation, Lavrov asserted that the Kremlin will not cease its "special military operation" even during negotiations.

Ukraine would have preserved its 1991 borders if the European nations had not "engaged in their shenanigans," he continued, reflecting Moscow's enduring antagonism towards the West just a month after Ukraine commemorated its 35th Independence Day. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha vehemently condemned Lavrov's comments, stating, "Fourteen of the 15 members of the UN Security Council support a ceasefire.

Only one aggressor is blocking it." Around the same time, 51 countries backed Ukraine in a joint statement, urging the Kremlin to agree to a full ceasefire and engage in meaningful talks as ongoing large-scale Russian attacks persist in the war's fifth year. Russia has consistently rejected international calls for a ceasefire and direct meetings with Zelensky, often mocking such proposals.

On September 18, Putin accused Kyiv of obstructing peace efforts, alleging that Ukrainian officials "talk about peace" while "doing everything to ensure" it does not occur. Three days later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that there has been no progress in negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine but expressed hope for the resumption of trilateral talks involving the US.

Diplomatic momentum has consistently been followed by intensified Russian attacks. The latest three-day ceasefire pause against Kyiv, ordered by Putin for the US envoys' visit, concluded with a significant all-out assault on the capital, with Russia violating the ceasefire even before it officially ended.