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US President Donald Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit scheduled to hold in Miami in December, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has disclosed.
Rubio made this known on Wednesday in New York, saying Washington believes direct engagement with Moscow is necessary to advance efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“In order to solve problems, you have to meet with the people that you disagree with or the people that you might have some issues with,” Rubio told reporters.
“So we’ve invited President Putin to the G20,” he added, expressing hope that the Russian leader would accept the invitation and use the summit to engage with Trump and other world leaders.
Rubio spoke shortly after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The meeting came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepared to address the United Nations, where he was expected to appeal for increased air-defence support against Russian drone and missile attacks.
Lavrov, however, told the UN Security Council that Moscow had no plans to halt its military operation in Ukraine, accusing European countries of seeking to use any pause in fighting to increase military support for Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga criticised the Russian position, saying Lavrov’s remarks demonstrated that the war remained a major international concern.
Meanwhile, 51 countries, including France, Britain, Japan and Canada, issued a joint declaration reaffirming their support for Ukraine.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the countries were particularly concerned about attacks in the Black Sea and called for the protection of commercial shipping and critical infrastructure.
Rubio also renewed calls for Moscow and Kyiv to consider a limited ceasefire covering energy infrastructure, saying such an arrangement could provide a basis for broader negotiations.
Both Russia and Ukraine have indicated some interest in an energy ceasefire, although no comprehensive agreement has been reached.
Zelensky has said Ukraine is prepared to stop attacks on Russian energy facilities if Moscow takes similar action, following Trump’s call for Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian refineries.
After meeting Trump on Tuesday, Zelensky said Washington and Kyiv wanted the war to end before winter.
Trump and Putin have held several telephone conversations, while their most recent face-to-face meeting took place in 2025.
