US scraps G20 photo after Europeans refuse to be pictured with Russian foreign minister
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The US scrapped plans for a photo of top diplomats of the Group of 20 largest world economies on the opening day of talks Friday as several Europeans objected to being photographed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and threatened to walk out of the photo session.
The cancellation of the photograph, a traditional opening event at such a diplomatic gathering, underscored the deep rifts in the G20 over global crises that threaten international security and trade.
Sergey Lavrov and Marco Rubio share a moment during joint Russian and US talks in Alaska last year. AP
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to cancel the photo after determining that the controversy would be a distraction, according to two US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. The meeting in Atlanta, which will otherwise go ahead as planned, is meant to set the stage for a G20 leaders’ summit hosted by President Donald Trump at his Miami golf club in December.
The cancellation has added to concerns about the poor prospects for the G20 diplomats to reach consensus on many of the most contentious issues they face. Among them are the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US-Israeli war against Iran, US tariffs and Chinese machinations in the South China Sea. All have contributed to spikes in the global cost of fuel as well as uncertainty about trade.
