By AZE.US
The United States has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the Group of 20 summit in Miami in December, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York.
Rubio said the gathering could give Putin an opportunity to speak with President Donald Trump and other world leaders. A separate Trump-Putin meeting has not been arranged, however, and the Kremlin has not confirmed that Putin will attend.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow appreciated and welcomed the invitation. He said a decision would be made after the issue was reviewed through diplomatic channels.
The invitation was publicly confirmed as Washington seeks further engagement with Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Rubio’s remarks were also reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Separately, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to travel to the United States for talks with Trump administration representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Reuters reported, citing sources, that efforts to end the war in Ukraine would be among the subjects discussed. The parties have not publicly confirmed those talks or their agenda.
The G20 summit is scheduled for December in Florida. The invitation creates the possibility of another high-level U.S.-Russia contact, but it does not guarantee Putin’s attendance or a meeting between the two presidents.
AZE.US