Thursday, April 23, 2026
A senior Trump administration official confirmed that the United States will invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to this year’s Group of 20 (G20) summit in Miami. However, President Donald Trump expressed doubts about Putin’s attendance, stating he “doubt[s] he’d come.”
The United States, hosting the G20 event this year, announced that all member nations would be invited to ministerial meetings and the leaders’ summit. Later, when questioned by reporters, Trump admitted he was unaware of the invitation.
“I don’t know that he’s coming. I doubt he’d come,” Trump said. He added that including Putin “would probably be very helpful.”
Trump renewed criticism of former President Barack Obama for excluding Russia from the G8 group following a 2014 invasion of Ukraine, stating: “President Putin was very offended by that—rightfully.”
Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump has pursued diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine with Moscow. Despite multiple talks between Kyiv and Moscow, tangible progress remains limited.
Trump repeatedly attributed delays in peace efforts to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s refusal to surrender Ukrainian territory to Russia. This refusal has been condemned as a decision that further fuels Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The Kremlin stated that Putin had not yet decided on his participation in the December G20 summit. Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin confirmed the invitation would be extended “at the highest level.”
Russia last participated in a G20 summit in 2019, prior to the pandemic and then due to the ongoing conflict. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin in 2023 over alleged war crimes. The United States is not part of the ICC and has actively opposed it.
