European delegations refused to join a group photograph with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the G20 meeting in Atlanta. The US hosts cancelled the picture while keeping the ministerial discussions on schedule. British, Polish and German positions reflected continuing disagreement over diplomatic contact with Moscow during the war in Ukraine.
A dispute over appearing alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov led the United States to cancel the group photograph at the G20, a forum of major economies, in Atlanta on October 30. European delegations objected to the planned picture during the foreign ministers’ gathering hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. American officials said several delegations were unwilling to participate; the ministerial discussions went ahead.[1], [2]
Britain was among the objecting countries. A British official said Britain maintained its policy against direct bilateral engagement with Russian ministers since the invasion of Ukraine. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband addressed Lavrov at the meeting and called for stronger economic and diplomatic pressure on Moscow. Ukraine, which is not a G20 member, was not invited to Atlanta despite invitations to similar gatherings in previous years.[1]
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski supported the American decision and said other ministers also refused a photograph with Lavrov. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul argued that relations with Russia could not be presented as normal, while saying disagreements should still be discussed at the table. The gathering precedes the US-hosted G20 leaders’ summit in December, with Ukraine, Iran, tariffs and the South China Sea among the diplomatic disputes surrounding it.[1], [2]
