Kremlin considers Rubio's invitation for Putin to join Trump at G20 summit in Florida

From the Newshound archive · first published 23 September 2026 · last updated 24 September 2026.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invited President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit, to be held in Miami this December — an event that would mark Putin's first in-person appearance at a major world leaders' gathering since his 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is "grateful and appreciative" for the gesture and will work through a response via diplomatic channels. The summit is scheduled to take place at Trump National Doral golf club, with Rubio noting that Trump's door was open to meeting "virtually anyone" in the pursuit of solving problems.

Putin has not attended a G20 summit in person since 2019, joining one session only virtually in 2023.

European leaders are expected to be alarmed — they declined to pose for a photo with Russian finance minister Anton Siluanov at an August G20 economic meeting.

Rubio said the summit would offer Putin an opportunity to meet not only Trump but fellow world leaders more broadly, adding that Trump remains open to a separate one-on-one meeting.