Russia has yet to decide whether President Vladimir Putin will meet US President Donald Trump at a planned G20 gathering in Miami in December, leaving the possibility of a high level meeting between the two leaders uncertain as Washington continues efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Moscow was still reviewing the US invitation and that it was too early to discuss what Putin and Trump might discuss if the meeting goes ahead.
“No decision has been made yet,” Peskov told reporters, adding that Russia appreciated the invitation and would coordinate its response before reaching a decision.
The comments came a day after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States had invited Putin to the December G20 meeting, potentially creating an opportunity for the Russian and US presidents to hold direct talks.
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Another Attempt at Ukraine Diplomacy
A Putin-Trump meeting would come as Washington continues to seek a diplomatic path toward ending the war in Ukraine.
Trump has repeatedly pushed for negotiations since returning to the White House, but efforts to secure a breakthrough have so far failed to produce a final settlement.
Direct engagement between Trump and Putin could therefore provide another opportunity to discuss the central obstacles to ending the conflict, although Moscow has not indicated that it has accepted the proposed summit.
The Kremlin’s cautious response also underscores the difference between an invitation and an agreed meeting. Peskov said the agenda could not yet be discussed because Moscow had not made a final decision on whether Putin would attend.
Russia Rejects a Temporary Ceasefire
Moscow’s position on the form of any potential agreement remains another major obstacle.
Peskov reiterated that Russia is seeking a permanent peace settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire.
That position could complicate negotiations if Washington and Kyiv continue to prioritize an immediate halt to fighting as a first step toward a broader agreement.
For Trump, a meeting with Putin could provide an opportunity to revive direct diplomacy at the highest level. For Moscow, however, accepting the invitation would require deciding whether the G20 setting offers sufficient diplomatic value and whether direct talks with Trump could advance Russia’s preferred terms for ending the war.
For now, neither the summit nor its agenda is settled.
The December G20 meeting could ultimately become an important venue for US-Russia diplomacy, but much will depend on whether Moscow accepts the invitation and whether the two sides can narrow their differences over how the Ukraine war should end.
With information from Reuters.
