The U.S. scrapped plans for a photo of top diplomats of the Group of 20 largest world economies on the opening day of talks on Friday (October 30, 2026) as several Europeans objected to being photographed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and threatened to walk out of the photo session.
U.S. The meeting in Atlanta, which will otherwise go ahead as planned, is meant to set the stage for a G20 leaders’ summit hosted by President Donald Trump at his Miami golf club in December. Russia’s Foreign Ministry complained of issues securing visas for its delegation that were only resolved at the last minute. Mr. His presence in Atlanta is likely to cause domestic political problems for Mr. Trump’s first term. Kelly, who now teaches international relations and diplomacy at Northwestern University outside Chicago. In terms of the G20 itself, Mr. Lavrov’s attendance will almost certainly hurt efforts to produce a unified approach on the Russia-Ukraine war, Mr.
Lavrov has travelled very infrequently to NATO member states since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and resulting severe sanctions were imposed on Moscow. South Africa said on Friday (October 30) that its absence from the meetings was not voluntary. Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to cancel the photo after determining that the controversy would be a distraction, according to two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Those complications had created the impression that “not everyone in Washington is happy” about Mr. Lavrov attending, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. But he would use the meeting to advocate for the “swift reform of global economic institutions,” she said. Trump just days before the midterm elections and roil at least the G20’s Western participants, according to Ian Kelly, a U.S. ambassador to Georgia during Mr. “It seems politically boneheaded to invite him,” said Mr. Kelly said. “It will definitely take away from the message that at least the Western members want to send,” he said. “We have consistently maintained that our nonparticipation is not voluntary,” said Phindile Kunene, spokesperson for South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola.
Moscow is being represented by foreign minister Sergei Lavrov at the summit in Atlanta.
She said the Trump administration had shown a willingness to work outside the G20 framework to build coalitions that advance its foreign policy goals. Earlier reporting noted: According to reports, US secretary of state Marco Rubio cancelled the traditional group photo after several European officials threatened to boycott or walk out over Russia’s participation. Earlier reporting noted: In a statement, the British Foreign Office reiterated the UK’s longstanding policy of avoiding direct bilateral engagement with Russian ministers over the war in Ukraine, adding that it had “no plans” to change its stance. Speaking to the media, he remarked: “I am not the only one who does not want to be photographed with Lavrov.”
Earlier reporting noted: Polish deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski, who is also the country’s foreign minister, called the cancellation of the group photograph “the right decision.
