G20 Foreign Ministers' Group Photo in Atlanta Cancelled Over Lavrov
The traditional group photo at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, USA, was scrapped after about a third of members refused to pose beside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The episode highlights divisions over how to treat Russia during the war in Ukraine.
The traditional group photo at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, in the United States, was cancelled on Friday, 30 October. The G20 is a forum of the world's largest economies. The photo was dropped after several countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom, refused to be pictured next to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The move shows that some members still do not want to normalise relations with Moscow while the war that Russia started in Ukraine continues.
Why countries refused
About a third of the participating countries said they did not want to appear in a shared image with Russian representatives, arguing that they would not normalise the launch of the war. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said before the meeting that European partners would under no circumstances pose with Lavrov, because relations with Russia cannot be considered normal. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain does not engage with Russians in this way and has not done so for several years.
At the opening session, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Lavrov's presence, calling it brutal and unjustified. She said the war had affected international markets and worsened global food security. Wong's spokesperson said Australia backed the US decision to cancel the photo.
Other points of contention
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski represented a country attending the meeting as a guest. Poland wants to become a full G20 member; the US supports this, while Russia objects. Sikorski noted that it would be hard for countries to prepare a joint closing statement, since parties involved in the war sit at the same table.
Ukraine, which is not a G20 member, was not invited. US officials explained that the meeting was intended only for the group's official members. South Africa, a founding member of the G20 and its only such member in Africa, was also not invited. South African officials confirmed they had not come to the meeting, saying it was "not by their own choice".
The disagreements in Atlanta reflect a wider split over US President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to restore the place of Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin in international affairs while Russia continues its war in Ukraine.
