Rubio cancels G20 group photo after European diplomats object to Lavrov's presence

The United States dropped plans for a group photograph with all participants at the Group of 20 foreign ministers meeting in Atlanta after European diplomats threatened to walk out.

U.S. officials said the decision was made Thursday after several European envoys objected to being photographed alongside Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister. Secretary of State Marco Rubio chaired the two-day gathering, which runs through Saturday. The event serves as a precursor to a leaders' summit that President Donald Trump will host in December at his golf club in Miami.

Diplomats from the 20 largest economies face deep divisions over active conflicts and trade disputes. Key sticking points include the war in Ukraine, the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, and U.S. tariff policies. These issues have driven up global fuel costs and created uncertainty in international trade. Rubio stated that his top priority is resolving differences regarding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, the Black Sea, and the South China Sea.

Russia's participation has generated friction among Western allies. Some G20 nations expressed concern that the U.S. invited Lavrov while Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukraine. The Russian foreign ministry reported last-minute issues securing visas for its delegation. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the delays gave the impression that not everyone in Washington was pleased with Lavrov's attendance. She added that he would use the forum to advocate for the swift reform of global economic institutions and a multipolar world.

Ukraine, which was not a formal G20 member, was not invited to the Atlanta meeting. U.S. officials said they made a conscious choice to include only formal group members. South Africa, the only African country in the G20, was also absent. Phindile Kunene, a spokesperson for South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, told the Associated Press that the country's nonparticipation was not voluntary. Kunene said South Africa remains ready to participate on an equal footing when the United Kingdom takes over the G20 presidency next year.

Ian Kelly, a former U.S. ambassador to Georgia, described the decision to invite Lavrov as politically boneheaded. He noted that Republican lawmakers are already fearful of losing their congressional majorities and are critical of Trump's conciliatory approach to Putin. Democrats are expected to use the invitation to criticize the GOP ahead of the Tuesday midterm elections. Kelly said Lavrov's attendance would likely hinder efforts to produce a unified Western message on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Elaine Dezenski, head of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the Atlanta meeting is a test of whether the U.S. can build cooperation with partners despite widening disagreements. She noted that the administration has shown success in building coalitions outside the G20 framework. Dezenski said the meeting offers a chance to assess if the U.S. can turn shared economic security concerns into meaningful cooperation even without full consensus from all members.