Trump Bends The Knee To Putin Again With Invite To G20 Summit

Donald Trump has invited Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in Miami in December.

It’s a highly controversial move from the US president, four and a half years into Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed the invite on Wednesday, telling reporters: “We think it’s an opportunity for [Putin] to engage not just with the president but with other world leaders. We hope that’s an invitation he’ll accept.”

He said: “If you only meet with people that you agree with, then these are very nice meetings but nothing happens. In order to solve problems, you have to meet with people that you disagree with or the people that you might have some issue with.”

Moscow has not yet said if Putin will accept.

He has not attended the G20 in person since 2019, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) has had an arrest warrant out for Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine since March 2023.

However, America does not recognise the ICC, meaning its authorities are not obliged to arrest the Russian president if he enters the US.

It’s why the Russian dictator was able to get the red carpet treatment from Trump in Alaska last year.

But aside from the US president’s efforts to reintegrate Russia, Putin has been a pariah on the international stage since he initiated his land grab of his European leader back in February 2022.

Ukraine’s allies have weaned themselves off Russia’s cheap oil exports, funded Kyiv’s defensive efforts and lambasted Putin time and time again for his aggression.

UK prime minister Andy Burnham used his speech at the United Nations to condemn “Russia’s game of trading escalatory rhetoric” and to crackdown on Moscow’s “disinformation”.

It’s a stark difference to the way Trump has instead put Ukraine under pressure over the war – despite being the victim.

He called on Kyiv to stop hitting Russian oil refineries, claiming it was triggering a spike in global gas prices.

Meanwhile Russia continues to relentlessly blast Ukraine, killing at least two people with drone strikes on Wednesday night.

It’s unclear how other world leaders will respond if the Russian leader does attend the G20 summit.

Despite issuing a decree banning meetings with Putin in the early stages of the war, the Ukrainian president has gradually changed his mind.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed this week he could be open to a trilateral talks with Russia and the US at the G20.

The Ukrainian leader said: “I believe this is one of the best opportunities put forward by the US side, by President Trump, regarding the G20. I believe this could be an opportunity for a trilateral meeting that could produce a tangible result.”

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