G20 Drops Group Photo in Atlanta After Europeans Shun Lavrov
· World · Al Jazeera, NDTV
The United States scrapped a traditional group photo of foreign ministers at the G20 meeting in Atlanta after European officials refused to stand alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul confirmed that European partners would not feature in a family photo with Lavrov, who remains under Western sanctions following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened the talks by urging members to cooperate on economic and geopolitical crises threatening global trade and energy supplies, while Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up global energy prices. A diplomatic source stated that Washington will publish a chair's summary instead of a joint statement, as the forum can no longer reach agreement on collective texts. The meeting is taking place without Ukrainian representation, and no government has confirmed whether Rubio and Lavrov will hold a formal bilateral meeting.
Why it matters
The breakdown in G20 consensus and the cancellation of the group photo signal deepening diplomatic rifts between Western nations and Russia over the war in Ukraine, complicating international cooperation on global trade and energy security.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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