G20 foreign ministers ended their Atlanta meeting without reaching consensus on key issues, with the U.S. Secretary of State releasing a chairman’s statement instead of a joint communique. The dispute over Russia’s war with Ukraine overshadowed the talks, highlighting deep divisions among members.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled the G20 ‘family photo’ after several nations, including Australia and the UK, refused to appear with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. European Union nations had made it clear they would boycott any photo with Russian representatives, citing no normality with Russia.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the invitation of Poland to attend the G20 meeting, calling it counter-productive and a breach of diplomatic practice. He stated that Poland’s economy was not large enough to justify its inclusion and that its representation as an Eastern European nation was misleading.
Lavrov said Russia had not been subjected to pressure regarding Poland’s invitation, stating that the U.S. simply invited the Polish minister and provided him with a chair. The disagreement over Poland’s membership and Russia’s stance on Ukraine’s war will likely prevent a joint communique at the conclusion of the meetings.