G20 talks expose deep rift as Russia stays defiant while Rubio pursues sideline diplomacy

Russia showed no sign on Friday of softening its stance on Kyiv as G20 foreign ministers opened talks in the United States, with the Ukraine and Iran wars deepening rifts between the sprawling forum’s members.

Sharp disagreements emerged around the table, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accusing Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of presenting “lies” on issues like the conflict in Ukraine.

“He put forward a lot of lies, a lot of false narratives” that Europeans were able to push back on, Kallas said.

European officials also sought to put more pressure on Moscow, particularly to secure a ceasefire in the Black Sea, a key agriculture export corridor.

Lavrov, in turn, was “quite provocative” in his remarks, a European diplomatic source said.

At a press conference, Lavrov criticised Europeans for their “arrogant boycott” while praising the willingness of US President Donald Trump’s administration to engage with Moscow.

Plans for a traditional family photo of G20 ministers were called off as some European officials objected to appearing alongside Lavrov, a diplomatic source said.

European leaders have opted not to appear in photos with Russian delegations at other G20 meetings this year, as fighting drags on more than four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A US official said the picture was cancelled to avoid allowing “a ceremonial photo opportunity to become a diplomatic distraction”.

The gathering in Atlanta, taking place just days before US midterm elections, sets the stage for a G20 leaders’ summit at Trump’s Doral resort in Miami in December.

But it also comes as global energy prices have rocketed since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in February. Tehran retaliated by choking off the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil and gas transit.

Even as the United States seeks to focus on economic growth, trade imbalances and supply chain challenges – covering areas like energy and critical minerals – few breakthroughs are expected.

Instead of a final declaration, the two days of talks are expected to conclude on Saturday with a chair summary drafted by the United States.

Still, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told an opening plenary that the world faced a critical “moment of choosing” as it grappled with “interconnected economic and geopolitical crises”.

He urged the Group of 20 forum – which includes China, France, Germany, India, Japan and Russia – to work together against threats like strains on global energy and food supply chains, and on freedom of navigation.

Rubio spoke briefly with Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 meeting, with the Russian minister saying both sides had a “decent talk”.

Moscow has been shunned by most of the West since it invaded Ukraine, and Lavrov himself remains under international sanctions.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that “there is no normality with Russia”, and pledged to again “call on Russia to finally accept Ukraine’s offer of a ceasefire, starting in the Black Sea”.

Rubio’s interactions with Lavrov in Atlanta are being closely watched as Washington pursues diplomacy on Ukraine while seeking Moscow’s cooperation on reining in fuel prices, a key campaign issue in US midterms.

Lavrov’s G20 appearance comes ahead of fresh negotiations expected between Moscow, Kyiv and Washington in November.

Analysts say his presence is not surprising as Washington has welcomed Russian officials to this year’s G20 events, while excluding member South Africa.

Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Florida in December as well and eased some sanctions on Moscow while touting a deal for Russia to sell diesel as prices soared, squeezing Americans.

Another issue key to the US agenda is freedom of navigation.

A US State Department official flagged “shared resolve to confront urgent crises and keep critical sea lanes open to commerce without threats or tolls”.

But the possibility of further escalation in the Middle East is mounting, with Trump signalling he could attack Iran after Tuesday’s midterm elections.