Germany reacts to Putin's invitation to G20 summit in US

The German government reacted cautiously to the US decision to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit, which will take place in Miami in December. In Berlin, they said they had “taken note” of the invitation, but emphasized that against the backdrop of the war against Ukraine, there could be no talk of normalizing relations with Russia.

“We also take note that President Putin has not yet decided on the invitation,” said German government spokesman Steffen Cornelius.

According to him, for the federal government “there is no normality in relations with Russia amid the war in Ukraine.” Germany's preparations for the G20 summit continue, including discussions about the situation around Putin's possible participation. Berlin is coordinating its position with partners.

The invitation to the Russian president was announced on September 23 by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York. According to Rubio, Washington views the G20 as an opportunity for Putin to hold talks not only with US President Donald Trump, but also with other world leaders. The US expects the invitation to be accepted.

The G20 summit is scheduled for December 14–15 in Miami. Russia remains a member of the G20, but Putin has not personally attended the group's summits since 2019. In 2023, he joined one of the meetings remotely.

The Kremlin has not yet said whether Putin will accept the invitation. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on September 24 that Moscow views Washington's offer positively, but no final decision has been made yet. According to him, the issue will be worked out through diplomatic channels.

Source: NTV, Radio Free Europe, Axios