G20 foreign ministers' photo scrapped after diplomats refuse to be seen with Russia's Lavrov
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Diplomats at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta refused to take part in the customary group photo with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, forcing the United States to cancel the ceremony and underscoring growing anger over Russia's war on Ukraine.
Diplomats attending the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta declined to stand for the customary group photograph with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, leading the U.S. hosts to cancel the picture. The cancellation was confirmed by two officials who said some delegations were unwilling to participate in what would have amounted to a routine stage-managed moment with a representative of Russia's war machine.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband addressed Lavrov directly, stating, "We all know who the aggressor in this war is," and accused the Russian government of killing innocent civilians in Ukraine. Miliband added that member countries must "work harder to secure just and lasting peace in Ukraine" and warned that the war is causing "colossal global harm" including civilian deaths, energy disruptions and food insecurity.
A British official reiterated the United Kingdom's policy of avoiding direct bilateral engagement with Russian ministers since the invasion of Ukraine. The United States explained that cancelling the photo was intended to keep the focus on substantive discussions rather than a diplomatic distraction.
While Ukraine was not invited to the meeting, the United States has recently eased some sanctions on Russia and agreed to import Russian diesel, a move described by President Donald Trump as an effort to keep Moscow at the negotiating table. The U.S. State Department also approved a sale of more than $2 billion in Patriot missiles to Ukraine for air-defence purposes.