In brief
In the G20 foreign‑minister talks in Atlanta on 30 October 2026, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced that no group picture would include European partners with Russia’s Sergey Lavrov. European ministers stood apart amid tensions over Ukraine and sanctions, and Washington decided to issue a chair’s summary instead of a joint statement.
On 30 October 2026, the Group of 20 foreign ministers met in Atlanta, United States, and the United States decided to scrap the customary group photograph after European officials declined to appear beside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, There will be no family photo featuring our European partners together with Mr Lavrov, as reported by the dpa news agency.
There will be no family photo featuring our European partners together with Mr Lavrov.
The statement was issued by Wadephul in front of the photo‑op that was meant to include all ministers. Lavrov, who remains under sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, had arrived in Atlanta ahead of the talks, with Russian state media reporting his arrival.
European ministers stood apart from Lavrov amid a meeting dominated by the wars in Ukraine and Iran and a push for stronger sanctions. European Union foreign‑policy chief Kaja Kallas pledged to urge partners to strengthen support for Ukraine and pursue accountability through a special tribunal, after a Russian strike on a Ukrainian railway station killed at least 14 people earlier that day.
The United States did not issue a joint statement; instead, Washington will publish a chair’s summary drafted for the meeting, the AFP source said. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened the talks, urging cooperation on economic and geopolitical crises, and his message on X said maritime and food security drive economic security.
Ukraine was not invited to the meeting, according to The National, and a diplomatic source told AFP that Russia’s presence at the G20 “in no way legitimises its actions.”
