Canceling the “group photo” of the G20 foreign ministers in America.. What happened because of Lavrov?

The G20 foreign ministers' meeting began in Atlanta, United States, on Friday, without taking a "group photo," after a number of representatives threatened to withdraw instead of standing in one photo next to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. A Western official told Ofoq News Network that more than a third of the officials present threatened to withdraw from the photo if the Russian Foreign Minister appeared in it.

According to three sources, the American side discussed the possibility of taking two group photos; One with Lavrov's participation, and the other without him. Ultimately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to cancel the photo shoot altogether, according to two sources.

An American official explained that Rubio made this decision because he believed that the controversy surrounding the photo would become a source of distraction from the meeting’s work. The cancellation of this photo, which is an established tradition in most high-level international meetings, reflects the extent of the divisions existing during this year’s G20 meeting.

Lavrov's presence in the United States to participate in this international forum had already aroused the dissatisfaction of many attendees, in light of the continuing Russian war against Ukraine and the hybrid attacks launched by Moscow on the European continent. The G20 foreign ministers' meeting will be held in Atlanta on October 30-31, 2026, according to the US State Department.

The foreign ministers of the world's leading economies will participate in the meeting, with the aim of advancing the G20's mission of promoting global stability and prosperity, addressing international economic challenges, and supporting open markets and flexible supply chains.