The United States has officially invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami in December, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed. Rubio announced the invitation on Wednesday, September 23, after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“We’ve invited President Putin to the G20,” Rubio told reporters, adding that Washington sees the summit as an opportunity for the Russian leader to engage with U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders.
Rubio said the United States hopes Putin will accept the invitation, but his attendance has not been confirmed. Russia remains a member of the G20, although Putin has not attended an in-person G20 leaders’ summit since 2019. He participated virtually in the 2023 summit.
A potential Putin appearance in Miami could also create an opportunity for a meeting with Trump. However, Rubio stressed that no such meeting has been agreed and that any presidential meeting would require preparation and a clear purpose.
The invitation comes as the Trump administration continues diplomatic contacts with Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Rubio said Trump is willing to engage with leaders with whom the United States has disagreements, arguing that direct engagement can be useful in addressing international disputes. He cautioned, however, that the invitation should not be interpreted as evidence that a major agreement or Trump-Putin meeting is imminent.
The Miami summit is scheduled for December and is expected to bring together leaders of the world’s major economies. If Putin attends, it would mark his return to an in-person G20 leaders’ summit after years of absence. The Kremlin has not publicly confirmed that he will attend.
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