Trump on Putin’s Possible Attendance at G20 Summit

During a press conference at the White House on Thursday, President Donald Trump mentioned that it would be “very helpful” for Russian President Vladimir Putin to join the upcoming G20 summit in Miami. However, he clarified that he has not actually issued an invitation to Putin.

Trump remarked, “I don’t think he’s coming,” but added that his presence would be beneficial. He also noted that Putin is “very angry” about Russia’s removal from the G8 in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea. “I would venture to say that if you hadn’t kicked him out, we probably wouldn’t have had these problems,” he commented, hinting at a link between past actions and current geopolitical issues.

Although Russia is still officially part of the G20, it hasn’t participated in the summit since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2019. Things took a turn for the worse for Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue an arrest warrant for Putin regarding war crimes as early as March 2023. Countries that are part of the Rome Statute are obligated to arrest him if he enters their territory. Interestingly, the United States withdrew from this treaty in 2002, expressing concerns about politically motivated legal actions targeting its officials.

At the press conference, the topic of G20 participation came up, and Trump mentioned his intention to invite Putin to a summit at his Doral golf resort in December. However, there was some ambiguity about the exact nature of invitations and who would receive them.

The State Department emphasized that Trump has made it clear Russia is welcome at all G20 meetings, aiming for successful summits. An unnamed official further stated that while no formal invitation had been extended, Russia would likely be welcomed at ministerial gatherings.

A spokesperson for the State Department indicated, “As a member of the G20, Russia has been invited to all working-level meetings to date.”

Interestingly, the only reported source about Putin potentially receiving an invitation came from an unidentified Russian official, claiming he had received one and was weighing his options for attending.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that it remains uncertain whether Putin would travel to Miami, stating, “Putin may or may not go as a member of the G20, and another Russian representative may go.” He made these comments during an interview on Russian state television.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin also indicated that “Russia is invited to participate at the top level in the G20 in Miami,” but he did not specify which officials would actually attend. Typically, G20 summits see participation from heads of state, though this is not always the case.