Kremlin 'grateful' for US invitation to Putin for G20 summit

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Wednesday that the Russian government was grateful for the invitation extended to President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami, adding that officials would determine their position through diplomatic channels. "We will determine our position (on whether to take part in the event or not) and work it out through diplomatic channels," Peskov said when asked about the invitation, declining to specify whether Putin would attend the gathering in person or participate virtually.

The spokesman emphasized that Moscow would formulate its response through established diplomatic protocols while studying the proposal's details. Russia retains its G20 membership despite Western efforts to isolate Moscow following the conflict in Ukraine.

Washington eyes high-level engagement

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters earlier on Wednesday that Washington had formally invited Putin to the summit scheduled for December in Miami. Rubio said the gathering would provide an opportunity for the Russian leader to engage directly with Trump and other heads of state, noting that a possible bilateral meeting between the two presidents had not yet been agreed upon and would require substantial preparation.

Putin's G20 attendance record

Putin has not attended an in-person G20 summit since 2019, prior to the pandemic and the subsequent Western sanctions regime. The Russian leader participated virtually in the 2023 summit hosted by India, sending Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to represent Moscow in his place. Peskov did not indicate whether Moscow was seeking specific security guarantees or diplomatic conditions for Putin's potential attendance in Miami this December.