Rubio defends inviting Russia to G20 meetings

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Washington's practice of inviting Russia to events of the G20, the forum of the world's largest economies, at a press conference in Atlanta after the G20 foreign ministers' meeting. He stressed that communication with Moscow is necessary to end the Russia–Ukraine war.

Journalists asked him to respond to criticism from European counterparts over Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's participation in this week's ministerial meeting, and over the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in Miami. Rubio said Russia's involvement in the discussions matters because of US diplomatic efforts to end the war.

Dialogue as a condition for peace

Rubio said an agreement between Russia and Ukraine can only be reached through negotiations, and asked how that could happen if there is no way to talk to both sides. He described Lavrov's attendance as one more opportunity to continue engagement with the Russian side. According to him, the US president does not believe that meeting or speaking with someone amounts to legitimising everything that person does or stands for.

The secretary of state added that everyone wants a peace deal, but it cannot be concluded without dialogue with Russia. He said the US is ready to act as a mediator, which requires talking to both parties. Rubio claimed Washington speaks with Ukrainians as much as with Russians, if not more. He also noted that both Russia and the US are nuclear powers, so dialogue must be maintained to avoid dangerous escalation.

Background

The US had earlier invited Putin to the December G20 summit in Miami, where he could meet President Donald Trump. A day before Rubio's remarks, Lavrov arrived in the US for the ministerial meeting. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Lavrov showed no readiness for peace talks, while UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband voiced accusations against Lavrov at the meeting.