US President Donald Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami this December.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the invitation on Wednesday. The move comes as Washington pushes Russia and Ukraine to end the war. Rubio said meeting people with different views can help solve difficult problems.
“So we’ve invited President Putin to the G20,” he said.
He added that Putin could engage with Trump and other world leaders.
The invitation came after Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York. Their meeting took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to address the UN. He is likely to renew calls for stronger air defences. Ukraine has faced repeated Russian drone and missile attacks.
However, Moscow says it has no plans to pause the war. Speaking at the UN Security Council, Lavrov said Russia would continue its military operation.
“We are not going to have a pause in our special military operation,” he said.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga criticised the position. He said Russia’s war against Europe was now a wider problem. At the same time, 51 countries renewed their support for Ukraine. The group included France, Britain, Japan and Canada.
Still, Washington is pushing for smaller steps towards peace. Rubio called for Russia and Ukraine to agree to an energy ceasefire. Such a deal could stop attacks on energy facilities on both sides.
Zelensky has said Ukraine is ready to halt such strikes if Russia does the same. He also said Washington and Kyiv want the war to end “before winter.” Trump and Putin last met in 2025. Rubio also warned against a new crisis in the West Bank, saying it could increase tensions across the Middle East.
