U.S. cancels G20 'family photo' after allies refuse to appear with Russia

newsOct 30, 202632547

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled the traditional G20 "family photo" at the foreign ministers meeting in Atlanta after about one-third of countries, including Australia, the UK and European Union delegations, said they would not pose alongside Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. Rubio opened the talks with an appeal for unity, saying "We are in a critical moment" as ministers faced interconnected economic and geopolitical crises. Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul said "In no case will there be a family photo with European partners and Mr Lavrov together because ... there is no normality with Russia," and UK foreign secretary Ed Miliband echoed that position. Australia’s foreign affairs minister Penny Wong condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as brutal and unjustified in front of Lavrov, and a spokesperson for Wong said Australia supported the U.S. decision to cancel the photo. Diplomats at the opening session described the meeting as cordial but said Russia remained unyielding on Ukraine and opposed Poland’s attendance as a G20 member. Participants warned those divisions make a joint communique unlikely when the meeting ends on Saturday and could complicate preparations for next month’s G20 leaders summit in Florida hosted by President Donald Trump.

The Kyiv Independent

@kyivindependent.com

⚡️G20 family photo allegedly canceled over Russian presence. "There will definitely not be a family photo in which our European partners are together with Mr. Lavrov," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, according to the German n-tv channel.

24412h ago

ihave2no.bsky.social6

Never in my lifetime would I have envisioned seeing Russia at the G20, with Ukraine, the country invaded by Russia, excluded. The American government has turned the world upside down.

IS HE DEAD YET? ..Dave hater of racism , ignorance and hypocrisy4

The representatives of the democracies should hold meetings there amongst themselves and leave Russia and Trumpistan to chat together.

etenkink.bsky.social4

The civilized countries should not be there at all.

annneff.bsky.social4

They shouldn’t even be there Boycott is the only solution

thyroid-2303.bsky.social3

Putin worming his wsy in thanks to his treasonous buddies here in the US

znahar27.bsky.social2

I am glad Good people refused to take photo with an old worthless 🇷🇺 horse.

Alex Partridge

@alexpartridge87.bsky.social

No 'family photo' at the G20 foreign ministers meeting in Atlanta after some countries, including the UK, refused to stand alongside Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov

13214h ago

Alex Partridge71

One British official said: “The UK has a longstanding policy not to have direct, bilateral engagement with Russian ministers since the invasion of Ukraine and we are not about to change that”

Laurie Dunkin Wedd3

Blimey. Are we getting an attack of morals?

Le désobéissant Sibylle des ténèbres 🏴2

If only MPs would stop taking money from Israel.

Simon Marks

@simonmarksfsn.bsky.social

Just the beginning of the turmoil coming to Florida if Putin shows up for the G20 in December. www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...

5411h ago

Has he gone yet? 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇺🇦 🇨🇦 🇬🇱8

If Putin attends European countries must boycott the meeting.

Keri3

Any threat that Putin was going should have resulted in no one going in support of the Ukraine.

dunnersmads.bsky.social2

If Putin isnt paying his military in Dec, getting home might be interesting.

famouskopites.bsky.social1

There needs to be a boycott. Anything less is a sign of weakness

Kevin Rothrock

@kevinrothrock.me

The U.S. scrapped the traditional G20 group photo in Atlanta after Germany and other countries refused to pose with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “There is no ‘business as usual’ with Russia,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told reporters. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

3512h ago

Quoting this

Rosemary Thomas4

Why wouldn’t you want a family photo with a leading propagandist of a genocidally inclined regime?

Edward Walker3

Well done Germany et. al. 100% the right thing to do.

ABC News Australia

@news.abc.net.au

G20 foreign ministers skip 'family' photo amid objections over Russia

166h ago

bradpsychology

@bradpsychology.bsky.social

As the midterms look bad for Trump, world leaders find their spine and refuse to be photographed with Russia. edition.cnn.com/2026/10/30/p...

155h ago

Dave Earley

@earleyedition.bsky.social

The traditional “family photo” to open the G20 has been abruptly cancelled by Marco Rubio after a host of countries – including Australia, the UK and EU nations – refused to appear beside the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.

84h ago

Joe Public 🍁✌️❤️ 🇺🇦 🇵🇸 🇪🇺 🇺🇳

@joepublic.bsky.social

US drops family photo op at G20 as allies refuse to stand with Russia. www.ctvnews.ca/world/articl...

815h ago

US Political Politics News 💙🌈🦋The Fighting Liberal

@us-political-news.bsky.social

US cancels G20 ‘family photo’ after Australia, UK and others refuse to appear with Russia Marco Rubio pulls plug on traditional photo op at meeting of foreign ministers after about one-third of countries threaten boycott ...

45h ago

Judah Grunstein

@judah-grunstein.bsky.social

Europe's fallback position might end up being, We'll come, but no family photo with Putin.

816h ago

Lawrence

@ldog562.bsky.social

G20 'family photo' cancelled after protests over presence of Russian minister. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

612h ago

JonZoidberg

@jonzoidberg.xyz

A group photo at the G20 was cancelled because nobody wants to be photographed with Sergei Lavrov. If they have a problem with Russian operatives, why are people still being photographed with Trump? www.cnbctv18.com/world/g20-fo...

813h ago

fluxt [née fluxed]

@fluxt.bsky.social

The exact same thing happened in 2022 with Lavrov, over the same issue (Ukraine) — but in that case, the boycott of the “family photo” was initiated by the United States, specifically Antony Blinken. How things have changed… www.politico.eu/article/tens...

35h ago