Zelensky sees Miami G20 as 'best' chance to finally sit down with Putin

President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed optimism that the upcoming G20 summit in Miami could provide a crucial opportunity for Ukraine, the United States, and Russia to engage in direct negotiations. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington would extend an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the summit in December.

Zelensky stated that Ukraine would support a trilateral format if all parties agree to hold such a meeting, believing it could yield positive results. The G20 summit, a major international economic forum, includes the world's largest economies, and Russia remains a member despite its expulsion from the G8 following the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Zelensky suggested that the presence of Ukraine's European partners and other countries at the summit could create favorable conditions for negotiations. He emphasized that a meeting in Miami could facilitate direct contact between Zelensky and Putin, who have not held bilateral talks since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The last in-person meeting between the two leaders was in Paris in December 2019 during the Normandy Format talks. If Putin attends the G20 summit, it would be his second visit to the United States during President Donald Trump's second term, following a visit to Alaska in August 2025. The Kremlin has welcomed Putin's invitation to the G20, expressing gratitude to the U.S. side and pledging to work through the issue via diplomatic channels.