United States President Donald Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the upcoming G20 summit in Miami, Florida, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has disclosed.
Rubio made the disclosure on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to Rubio, the invitation would provide Putin with an opportunity to meet not only Trump but also other world leaders attending the December summit.
“We’ve invited President Putin to the G20,” Rubio said, adding that Washington hoped the Russian leader would accept the invitation.
Rubio defended the decision to engage with Moscow despite ongoing disagreements between the United States and Russia, saying that resolving disputes requires dialogue with parties involved.
The invitation comes as the Trump administration continues diplomatic efforts concerning the Russia-Ukraine war, although previous attempts to secure an end to the conflict have yet to produce a breakthrough.
Kremlin Yet to Decide on Putin’s Attendance
The Kremlin said on Thursday that no decision had been made on whether Putin would attend the summit.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia appreciated the invitation and would review and coordinate the matter before making a decision.
“It is premature to speak about this right now. No decision has been made yet,” Peskov said, according to Reuters.
The potential meeting would create an opportunity for Trump and Putin to hold further discussions, although there is currently no confirmed agreement for a separate presidential summit.
The G20 summit is scheduled to take place in Miami in December.
The invitation also follows Rubio’s meeting with Lavrov, during which the US State Department said the two officials discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and US-Russia relations.
Source: Arise News / Reuters
