United States invites Russian President to attend G20 summit in Miami
The U.S. has extended an invitation to President Vladimir Putin to join the G20 meeting in Miami in December, a move that may draw criticism from Ukraine and European leaders.
The United States announced on the sidelines of a United Nations conference that President Vladimir Putin has been invited to the Group of Twenty summit scheduled for December in Miami, Florida. The invitation was made public by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said the meeting would give the Russian leader a chance to engage with President Donald Trump and other world leaders and expressed hope that Putin would accept.
The Kremlin has not yet issued a formal response. Ukraine and several European officials have signaled concern, noting recent accusations that Russia has carried out hybrid attacks aimed at disrupting logistics and creating political uncertainty among Kyiv’s allies.
Russia remains a G20 member, but Putin has not attended an in-person summit since 2019, having participated only virtually in 2023. The December gathering will be held at the Trump National Doral golf club.
Rubio emphasized that President Trump is willing to meet “virtually anyone” and that dialogue with adversaries is necessary to address problems. He added that Trump would consider a one-on-one meeting with Putin in other settings if there is a clear purpose.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is prepared to travel to the summit and meet Putin if the Russian leader attends, stressing the need for direct talks to achieve results. Earlier, Zelenskyy urged the international community to continue restricting Russia’s revenue streams, warning that a harsh winter could intensify Ukraine’s hardships and that the conflict could spread if not contained.
The invitation follows recent diplomatic friction, including European officials’ refusal to pose for a group photo with Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at an August meeting of G20 finance ministers. It also comes as President Trump seeks a partial cease-fire that would limit attacks on Russian oil facilities to ease global energy prices, while urging Ukraine to curb strikes on Russian oil.
Congress recently passed a broad sanctions package targeting Russia, granting the president authority to impose 100% tariffs on major purchasers of Russian energy, a measure that has drawn criticism from Democrats over its potential impact on U.S. allies.