The United States has extended an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami this December. This would mark the first major summit with the Russian leader present since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the invitation during a press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations conference in New York. Rubio stated, “We’ve invited President Putin to the G20,” adding that it is an opportunity for him to engage with President Trump and other world leaders. He expressed hope that Putin would accept the invitation.
The invitation represents a significant reversal by the Trump administration of Russia’s international isolation. The Kremlin has not yet publicly responded to the invitation, which is likely to cause concern among Ukraine and other European leaders. These leaders have recently accused Russia of launching hybrid attacks in Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously indicated his readiness to travel to the summit and meet with Putin if he attended. Zelenskyy stated, “We have to come. We have to meet, to speak and make decisions.”
The G20 summit is scheduled to take place at the Trump National Doral golf club. Russia remains a member of the G20, but Putin has not attended a summit of the body since 2019, though he did attend one session virtually in 2023.