A planned group photo at the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta was canceled after some European delegations objected to appearing alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The U.S. host said it wanted to keep the ceremony from becoming a diplomatic flashpoint and allow discussions to focus on substantive issues. The dispute highlighted divisions over engagement with Moscow as U.S. policy toward Russia shifts and relations between Washington and Kyiv remain strained.
European delegations decline to join photo
The meeting, chaired by the U.S. secretary of state, brought together diplomats from the world’s major economies. The traditional “family photo,” scheduled for Friday morning, was dropped after officials confirmed that several delegations would not take part.
The British delegation also declined. A U.K. official said Britain’s longstanding policy of avoiding direct bilateral engagement with Russian ministers would not change for the meeting. The U.S. host said it canceled the photo after learning that some delegations did not want to participate, so the ceremonial event would not distract from the discussions.
Ukraine, which is not a G20 member, has been invited to similar meetings in recent years but received no invitation this time. Its absence, alongside Lavrov’s attendance, made the diplomatic divide more visible.
U.S. steps toward Moscow draw criticism from allies
The photo dispute came as signs of a thaw in U.S.-Russian relations emerged. The U.S. government suspended some sanctions on Russia and agreed to an arrangement allowing Russian diesel imports into the U.S. market. Washington said the partial suspension was intended to keep Moscow engaged in negotiations over the war in Ukraine. The decision also came as fuel prices faced pressure in the United States ahead of midterm elections in early November.
Ukraine and its European allies criticized the diesel arrangement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it amounted to a “gift” to Russian President Vladimir Putin and argued that the deal invested in a war that should be ended, not prolonged. Russia had previously banned diesel exports, but said it was willing to supply oil and petroleum products to the United States and global markets.
War in Ukraine remains central to diplomatic divisions
Relations between Washington and Kyiv also grew more strained this month following a diplomatic standoff over Ukrainian attacks on oil infrastructure inside Russia. Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, after its full-scale invasion in 2022. In recent weeks, Moscow has stepped up missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Against that backdrop, canceling the group photo was more than a change to the meeting schedule: it underscored differing views among participants on engagement with Russia. The meeting continued as planned, with the host dropping the ceremony and keeping the focus on substantive discussions.