G20 ‘family photo’ scrapped after leaders object to Russia’s presence

The US hosts of a G20 gathering in Atlanta scrapped a traditional “family photo” after several officials attending the event refused to have their picture taken with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

While the photograph is ceremonial and has no great significance, it is a ritual of such meetings and meant to display unity among global leaders. The refusal by Germany and other nations was a potent symbol of the divisions that have emerged between the US and its allies over president Donald Trump’s move to court Russia as he seeks to end the war in Ukraine.

“There is no ‘business as usual’ with Russia,” German foreign minister Johann Wadephul told reporters in Atlanta. “We need to discuss these controversies here at the table, which is why this conversation is important. But we must also avoid sending the wrong visual signals.”

The two-day gathering of foreign ministers from the world’s biggest economies is a precursor to a summit of the group’s leaders, set to be held at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami in December. Trump has invited Russian president Vladimir Putin to the event, but the Kremlin has yet to say if he will accept.

According to the US state department, this week’s meeting in Atlanta is meant to “advance the G20’s core mission of promoting global stability and prosperity.”

The wars in Ukraine and Iran are set to be two main areas of discussion. European ministers who have advocated for maintaining a tough stance against Russia are also likely to resist Trump’s efforts to entice Putin to the negotiating table and persuade Europe to buy more Russian petroleum products.

They are especially unhappy with Trump’s announcement earlier this month that he would waive some tariffs and sanctions on Russia as part of a deal with Putin to let Russia export diesel to overseas markets.

Similar tensions flared over the so-called “family photo” at a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Asheville, North Carolina in September.

Treasury secretary Scott Bessent invited Russian finance minister Anton Siluanov to the meeting without consulting other G20 members, and many US allies including Germany said they would not consent to be photographed with Siluanov. In the end, he was left out of the photograph. – Bloomberg

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