European diplomats shun Russia at G20 gathering in the US
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declined to comment on Russia's participation in the G20 summit in December, telling DW that Volodymyr Zelenskyy should travel to Russia if he wanted talks with Vladimir Putin.
Twenty foreign ministers gathered in Atlanta, US, for a Group of 20 meeting, facing challenges from the outset after European diplomats declined to participate in a family photo with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, hosting the event, opted not to proceed with the photo as Washington did not want it to turn into a spectacle.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that there wouldn't be a family photo with European partners and Lavrov together, asserting that there's no normalcy with Russia. The two-day G20 gathering, involving major countries including Russia, Germany, India, China, Brazil, and the EU, aimed to serve as a precursor to a leaders' summit in December.
The current gathering, taking place before President Donald Trump hosts the summit in Miami, is meant to address economic and geopolitical crises, such as global energy and trade disruptions and threats to the global economic order. However, the task of uniting countries with countries at war, like the US and Russia, has proven difficult.
The US has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Miami G20 meeting, but Russia's acceptance remains uncertain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed openness to talks with Putin if he visits Moscow. Lavrov debunked the notion of "no progress" in US-Russia relations, despite recent positive developments like a diesel deal and waived sanctions.
The meeting, rather than culminating in a final declaration, is anticipated to conclude with a chair summary.
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