USA invites Putin to G20 summit in Miami this December

The United States has formally invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit, scheduled for December 14-15 at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the invitation on September 23 after discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, saying he hopes Putin will accept.

If Putin shows up, it would mark his first in-person appearance at a G20 leaders’ summit since 2019.

A summit at Doral, chaired by Trump

The gathering will be held at Trump National Doral, the president’s golf resort outside Miami. President Trump will chair the summit as part of the US presidency of the G20, which rotates annually among member nations.

This is the first time the US has hosted the G20 leaders’ summit since 2009, when the Pittsburgh meeting focused on stabilizing the global economy after the financial crisis.

Rubio framed the invitation as a significant diplomatic opening. He described it as an “opportunity” for engagement between Putin and Trump, as well as with other world leaders.

Russia has remained a formal G20 member throughout the Ukraine conflict. Putin attended virtually in some years and sent representatives in others, but he has avoided the in-person leader-level gatherings since the 2019 summit in Osaka, Japan.

Kremlin caution and the Alaska precedent

Whether Putin actually boards a plane for Miami is far from certain. Earlier discussions in April 2026 indicated the Kremlin viewed the invitation with caution, and there was significant uncertainty around whether participation would materialize.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin in 2023 related to the deportation of Ukrainian children, which has complicated his travel to countries that recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. The US is not a party to the Rome Statute, meaning Putin would not face arrest on American soil.

The invitation also follows a meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska in 2025. That encounter yielded limited progress on the most contentious issues between the two countries, particularly the ongoing war in Ukraine.

G20 membership reshuffled

The US presidency of the G20 has also brought changes to the participant list. Poland has been welcomed to participate in the 2026 cycle, while South Africa has been excluded.

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