The United States will invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the upcoming G20 summit in Miami, a senior US official said on Thursday, although President Donald Trump expressed doubt that the Russian leader would attend.
The planned invitation signals a potential easing of Western pressure on Putin, who has largely been isolated by Western nations since ordering the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. However, Trump has maintained a more open stance toward Moscow.
The United States, hosting this year’s Group of 20 summit, is preparing for a high-profile meeting scheduled for December 14–15 in Florida. A senior Trump administration official confirmed that all G20 members would be invited to both ministerial meetings and the leaders’ summit.
Speaking later, Trump appeared uncertain about Putin’s participation, telling reporters he doubted the Russian president would attend. Despite this, he expressed support for including him, saying his presence could be “very helpful.”
Trump also renewed criticism of former president Barack Obama for removing Russia from the then G8 in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea, arguing that the move offended Putin.
Since returning to office, Trump has sought to restore relations with Russia as part of efforts to end the war in Ukraine. While he had initially promised a swift resolution, progress has been limited despite multiple rounds of talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
The US president has repeatedly blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for prolonging the conflict by refusing to concede territory to Russia.
Reacting to the development, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no decision had been made on whether Putin would attend the summit. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Pankin, was also quoted as saying the invitation had been extended at the highest level.
Putin has not attended a G20 summit since 2019, initially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later because of the ongoing war.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin over alleged war crimes, limiting his travel to countries that are signatories to the court. The United States is not a member of the ICC and has opposed its actions.
