The G20 foreign ministers meeting kicked off in Atlanta on Friday without a “family photo” after numerous representatives were expected to walk out rather than be pictured alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Two Western officials told CNN more than a third of attending officials had threatened to walk out of a picture with the Russian foreign minister.
According to three sources, the US had explored doing two family photos – one with Lavrov and one without. Ultimately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to scrap the photo – which is a traditional element of most high-level gatherings – altogether, two of the sources said.
A US official said Rubio made the decision because he thought the drama around photo would become a distraction and a spectacle that would overshadow the gathering.
“The photo was canceled after it became clear that some of the delegations were unwilling to participate in a joint photo,” another US official said.
“Rather than allow a ceremonial photo opportunity to become a diplomatic distraction, the United States decided to forgo the photo and keep the focus on the substantive discussions and shared priorities of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,” they added.
The tension around the photo and Lavrov’s presence in the United States comes amid divisions between the Trump administration and Europe on its approach to Russia. It also comes as Moscow’s ongoing war against Ukraine – and a potential US return to war on Iran – looms large over the global gathering. President Donald Trump has teased returning to military action after the US midterm elections on Tuesday. Rubio is scheduled to meet with his Saudi and Turkish counterparts in Atlanta.
In welcome remarks on Friday, Rubio said that the representatives were convening at a “critical moment.”
“We are facing a series of interconnected economic and geopolitical crises, many of which pose severe threats – severe threats to essential foundations of the global economic order. New disruptions and strains to global energy and food supplies – and food markets – to the global supply chain, trade, to freedom of navigation itself,” said Rubio. “And the G20 must work together to confront these threats, to strengthen our economic resilience, to safeguard our markets and the economies that they sustain.”
There are rifts between many in Europe and the Trump administration on its approach to Russia. In recent weeks, Trump struck an oil deal with Moscow and waived sanctions on Russia, while ratcheting up pressure on Kyiv to cease its attacks on Russian oil refineries. A top Russian official said there have been discussions about the possible lifting of US sanctions on Russia’s multibillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund. Amid these actions, Russia has continued its deadly barrage against civilian targets against Ukraine.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Friday morning sought to downplay divisions, saying that the US and Europe are “reading from the same paper.” He called Rubio “a reliable partner.”
“We are absolutely clear that this war has to be brought to an end, and that Russia has to come to the negotiation table,” he told reporters in Atlanta. “I would say the tone in Europe is, of course, different.”
“If you’re closer to the conflict, the repercussions of this conflict are for you, for your society, and also for the political discussion in your country, of course, different,” he said.
“We are formulating our positions, and of course, we are always saying that we very much welcome the US initiative to bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiation table,” Wadephul added when asked by CNN about US pressure for Russia to economically reintegrate with Europe.
Another Western official noted that major moves like the lifting of sanctions typically come in response to actions from the sanctioned party.
“Has anything happened? We don’t see it,” they said.
