‘Lavrov Should Not Be Allowed in US’ – Russian Foreign Minister Arrives for G20 Amid Outcry

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made his debut in the United States on Friday, October 30th, for a G20 foreign ministers' gathering in Atlanta, despite mounting criticism from US lawmakers. The Russian diplomat's arrival coincides with ongoing Russian military strikes on Ukrainian civilians, including 14 fatalities at a railway station in Dnipro.

Lavrov, under US sanctions since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion, is anticipated to leverage the Oct. 30-31 meeting to assail Western sanctions on Moscow. Republican Rep. Don Bacon denounced Lavrov's visit, urging the Russian foreign minister to be barred from entering the US while Moscow continues its "pariah state" aggression.

Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also denounced the Trump administration's diplomatic outreach to Putin, demanding the U.S. cease legitimizing the regime while Russian forces inflict civilian casualties. The bipartisan senators' letter to Trump questioned the rationale behind Russia receiving diplomatic legitimacy while perpetrating deadly attacks on Ukraine's cities and infrastructure.

Lavrov's visit aims to challenge economic sanctions and promote Moscow's multipolar international order vision. The meeting precedes the Nov. 3 US midterm elections and a potential Dec. 14-15 G20 leaders' summit in Miami, where Putin's attendance remains uncertain. Notable attendees include foreign ministers from NATO, European countries, and key global leaders. Ukraine was not invited, reflecting the U.S. policy of confining invitations to formal members.