G20 foreign ministers skip group photo after Europe refuses to normalize Russia's presence
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European G20 members declined to be photographed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, forcing the United States to drop the group photo and exposing deep divisions over Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine.
Foreign ministers attending the G20 meeting in Atlanta on Friday did not take a traditional group photograph after European representatives objected to the inclusion of Russia. A U.S. official said the State Department removed the family photo from the schedule to avoid turning it into a spectacle or a distraction from the urgent issues at hand. About one-third of the participants, including Australia and Canada, signaled that they would not be photographed alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to a Western diplomat.
"In no case will there be a family photo with European partners and Mr. Lavrov together because ... there is no normalcy with Russia," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told reporters before the first session. European officials had earlier suggested holding separate pictures—one with Lavrov and another without—rather than allowing Russia’s presence to be casually normalized. The European G20 members, which support Ukraine, have also criticized recent U.S. decisions regarding Russia, including a diesel purchase deal and a partial sanctions waiver, arguing that such moves weaken pressure on Moscow.