ATLANTA (AP) — The top diplomats from the Group of 20 largest world economies opened two days of meetings in Atlanta on Friday after European objections to Russia’s participation forced the U.S. to cancel a photo of the foreign ministers, underscoring deep rifts among the group over global crises.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled the plug on the traditional group photo after several European officials threatened to boycott or walk out of the snapshot that usually helps kick off such diplomatic gatherings. But he still opened the talks, which otherwise went ahead as planned, with an appeal for unity on the issues that threaten international security and trade.
“We are in a critical moment — I would call it a moment of choosing, and I would say not just for my country, the United States of America, but frankly, for the world,” Rubio told his colleagues.
“We are facing a series of interconnected economic and geopolitical crises,” he added, pointing to disruptions to global energy and food supplies, trade and freedom of navigation. Many are posing “severe threats to essential foundations of the global economic order.”
Yet there was no sign that the G20 diplomats could come to consensus on many of the most contentious issues they face. Among them are the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, U.S. tariffs and Chinese machinations in the South China Sea. All have contributed to spikes in the global cost of fuel as well as uncertainty about trade.
Russia’s presence at G20 gathering roils European allies
Concerns about any prospects for the talks escalated when the Europeans balked at being photographed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Rubio decided to scrap the picture because he thought 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.
Some G20 countries had already expressed concern that the U.S. invited Russia during its heightened attacks on Ukraine, especially after Trump pushed ties with Ukraine to new lows by waiving fresh sanctions on Moscow and temporarily limiting logistical and intelligence assistance.
The British foreign office said in a statement that the United Kingdom “has a longstanding policy not to have direct, bilateral engagement with Russian ministers since the invasion of Ukraine and we are not about to change that.”
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said the cancellation of the group photo was “the right decision” by the U.S., telling media in Atlanta that “I am not the only one who does not want to be photographed with Lavrov.”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said “there is no normality with Russia” but “we must exchange the controversies at the table here,” the German news agency dpa reported. He added that “we also must not send falsely optimistic signals.”
Lavrov has traveled only infrequently to NATO member states since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and resulting severe sanctions were imposed on Moscow. His presence in Atlanta could cause domestic political problems for Trump just days before the U.S. congressional midterm elections as well as roil the G20, according to Ian Kelly, a U.S. ambassador to Georgia during Trump’s first term.
“It seems politically boneheaded to invite him,” said Kelly, who now teaches international relations and diplomacy at Northwestern University outside Chicago.
The meeting in Atlanta is meant to set the stage for a G20 leaders’ summit hosted by President Donald Trump at his Miami golf club in December. It is unclear if Russian President Vladimir Putin will accept Trump’s invitation to that gathering.
G20 member South Africa was not invited
Ukraine, which is not a G20 member but was invited to attend previous such meetings, was not invited this year as U.S. officials said they made a conscious choice to include only formal members of the group.
But missing from the invite list was South Africa, a G20 founding member and the only African country in the group. South Africa is embroiled in several bitter disputes with the Trump administration, and when it chaired the G20 last year, top U.S. officials, including Trump and Rubio, shunned the meetings it hosted.
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“We have consistently maintained that our nonparticipation is not voluntary,” said Phindile Kunene, spokesperson for South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola.
Kunene welcomed support from other G20 members that had expressed reservations about the exclusion and said South Africa was ready to participate “on an equal footing with other members” when Britain takes over the presidency next year.
The Iran war hangs over the G20 event
The U.S. has said a top priority for the meeting is resolving differences over issues related to freedom of navigation, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, the Black Sea and the South China Sea. The topic will include discussions on Iran, Russia-Ukraine and China and its smaller neighbors.
But hanging over the meeting is the prospect of new U.S. military intervention in Iran, which has put the region, including G20 member Saudi Arabia, on edge.
The Associated Press has reported that U.S. officials have told several Middle East countries and regional allies to be prepared for potential renewed military strikes against Iran after Tuesday’s midterm elections and the possibility that Iran will retaliate against them.
Associated Press writers Michelle Gumede in Johannesburg, South Africa, Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw, Poland, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Jill Lawless in London and Farnoush Amiri in New York contributed.
