European Officials Refuse to Pose With Lavrov at G20 Meeting

The G20’s familiar group photo never happened. European officials refused to pose beside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio therefore dropped the photo rather than let the dispute take over the meeting in Atlanta. One Western diplomat said a third of participants opposed appearing with Lavrov, who represents a country still under Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. ^3,16

The canceled photo was only one sign of tensions around the table. On Friday, Rubio also met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Their talks covered ties between their countries, US-Iran negotiations, Gaza and the war between Russia and Ukraine.² The G20 brings together the world’s leading economies, but its members are deeply divided over those conflicts and how to respond. No joint statement is expected; Washington plans to issue a summary of the meeting instead. ^3,17

That summary matters because the disputes reach well beyond ceremony. Russia’s war against Ukraine, fighting involving Iran and threats to shipping routes have raised concerns about energy, food and trade. US officials listed freedom of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz, as a priority.¹³ India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also warned that military answers would fail and urged diplomacy. He raised concerns about attacks on seafarers and the cost of fuel, food and fertiliser.⁷ The meeting showed how hard it is to find common ground when countries disagree over both the conflicts and the response.

Shipping and diplomacy remain on the agenda as the Atlanta meeting continues through Saturday.⁵ Fidan’s meeting with Rubio came ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s planned visit to Türkiye. He is due to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday to discuss the war and Black Sea security.² The G20 leaders’ summit is scheduled for December 14 and 15 in Miami, but the foreign ministers are leaving Atlanta without a shared statement. ³