US cancels G20 group photo after European diplomats skip shot with Russia's Lavrov

The United States cancelled the official group photograph for the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta after European diplomats declined to stand next to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Two officials confirmed the decision regarding the image scheduled for Friday morning. The photo would have included representatives from all attending nations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosts the gathering of top diplomats from the world's largest economies. Ukraine, which is not a G20 member, received invitations to similar events in recent years but was not included for this session. The absence follows a tense diplomatic standoff between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump regarding Kyiv's strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is present in Atlanta. A diplomatic source confirmed the United Kingdom was among the nations refusing to participate in the picture. One British official stated that the UK maintains a policy of avoiding direct, bilateral engagement with Russian ministers since the invasion of Ukraine. The official added that the country is not about to change that stance.

A US official explained that the photo was scrapped after it became clear some delegations were unwilling to join. The official said the decision aimed to prevent a ceremonial opportunity from becoming a diplomatic distraction. The goal was to keep the focus on substantive discussions rather than the visual arrangement of attendees.

The cancellation occurs against a backdrop of partially thawed US-Russia relations. President Trump recently waived some sanctions and agreed to a deal importing Russian diesel for the American market. This move seeks to lower fuel prices in the US ahead of mid-term elections in early November. The administration has spent months managing the political fallout from the Iran war.

Ukraine and its European allies have criticized the Trump-Putin deal. Zelensky described the arrangement as a gift to President Vladimir Putin, calling it an investment in a war that must be ended rather than prolonged. Trump said he suspended several Russian sanctions to keep Moscow at the negotiating table in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Putin stated that Russia is willing to supply oil and petroleum products to both the US and global markets. Russia introduced a ban on diesel exports earlier this year. Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and currently controls approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. The country has intensified deadly missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities in recent weeks.