G20 Photo Cancelled Over Lavrov Presence — SkimNews
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- European diplomats refused to participate in the G20 'family photo' alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, prompting U.S. hosts to cancel the event.
- UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband directly accused Lavrov of representing an aggressor state, citing civilian deaths and global supply disruptions caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the G20 meeting in Atlanta, where American officials prioritized substantive talks over ceremonial moments amid diplomatic tensions.
- Donald Trump waived some sanctions on Russia and approved diesel imports to lower U.S. fuel prices before the midterm elections, drawing criticism from Ukraine and European allies.
- Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Trump’s deal with Putin as 'a gift' that finances Russia’s war, highlighting growing friction between Kyiv and the U.S. administration.
- U.S. State Department approved over $2 billion in Patriot missile sales to Ukraine, reinforcing Kyiv’s air defenses despite diplomatic tensions over energy policy.
Why it matters: The photo snub and Trump’s diesel deal reveal a split between symbolic Western unity and pragmatic U.S. energy politics—undermining allied cohesion while arming Ukraine. This duality risks weakening diplomatic pressure on Moscow even as military support continues.
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