US President Donald Trump Invites Russian President Vladimir Putin to Miami G20 Summit Despite European Objections
Photo: Collected
US President Donald Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the upcoming G20 summit in Miami scheduled for December, despite objections from European nations, as part of an effort to reintegrate Moscow into the global diplomatic framework. The invitation was confirmed by United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Rubio stated that the administration believes the summit will provide Putin an opportunity to engage not only with the US President but also with other global leaders, expressing hope that the Russian leader will accept the invitation.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately issue a comment regarding whether Putin will attend the summit. If he attends, it would mark the Russian president's first in-person participation at a G20 summit since 2019 and his second visit to the United States since Trump returned to power last year.
The development comes as the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year with no signs of restraint from Russian forces. On Wednesday, Russian armed forces launched a drone attack on Kyiv, killing at least two people and damaging critical infrastructure.
Defending the engagement, Rubio noted that holding meetings exclusively with like-minded individuals results in cordial discussions rather than actionable solutions. He emphasized that addressing complex problems requires sitting down with those who hold differing views or contentious positions.
In recent weeks, US President Trump has pressured Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, attributing rising global gas prices to such strikes. Although Trump announced earlier this month that Moscow and Kyiv had reached an energy cease-fire, both sides have continued to target each other's energy facilities.
Putin's most recent visit to the United States took place in August 2025, when US President Trump welcomed him with a red-carpet reception in Alaska before both leaders departed together in the presidential limousine. However, that high-level meeting failed to yield peace in Ukraine, prompting Trump to quickly shift his foreign policy focus elsewhere.
The G20, or Group of Twenty, is an international forum comprising the world's major powers and emerging economies. Established in 1999, the forum addresses critical global issues including the world economy, international financial stability, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development.
The bloc accounts for approximately 85 percent of the global economy, 75 percent of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population. It comprises 19 countries—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States—alongside two regional bodies, the European Union and the African Union.
