Kathrine Frich
Behind the scenes, Washington is pushing hard to broker a deal.
Big global gatherings usually involve predictable guest lists and quiet handshakes.
But sometimes an unexpected envelope arrives in the mail, forcing rivals to decide if they can sit in the same room.
A major summit is approaching, and a highly controversial name just made the list.
An open door
The Kremlin has officially welcomed an invitation from the United States for Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the upcoming Group of 20 summit. The gathering takes place in Miami this December.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move on Wednesday. According to the Clash Report, the actual logistics will flow through established diplomatic channels.
He shared the news after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York, according to the Russian state news agency TASS cited by Kyiv Post.
“We’ve invited President Putin to the G20. We think it’s an opportunity for him to engage not just with the president but with other world leaders,” Rubio said.
Fighting through talks
Behind the scenes, Washington is pushing hard to broker a deal. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv in early September, and all sides called the talks productive.
The recent invitation follows remarks from US President Donald Trump, who met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday. Trump seemed confident that the Russian leader would engage in dialogue.
“He’ll meet. He’s willing to meet. He’d like to see the war end,” Trump told reporters during a live broadcast of the event.
No quick fix
Despite the warm words, the reality on the ground remains brutal. Lavrov warned reporters that Russian forces will not pause their military campaign while leaders sit down for negotiations.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha quickly fired back. A statement from Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry captured his deep frustration with the Russian stance.
“Fourteen of the 15 members of the UN Security Council support a ceasefire. Only one aggressor is blocking it,” Sybiha said.
Far from peace
At the same time, fifty-one countries signed a joint statement backing Ukraine. They urged the Kremlin to accept a full, immediate ceasefire as the devastating war enters its fifth year.
Yet large-scale Russian attacks continue to rock Ukrainian cities. Moscow has repeatedly rejected calls to stop the fighting, and officials often mock the idea of direct meetings with Zelensky.
The Miami summit is just months away. It offers a rare chance for global leaders to talk, but a true peace deal still looks far out of reach.
Sources: Tass, Kyiv Post, Clash Report, TASS
