Senate Bipartisan Bloc Urges Trump to Revoke Putin’s G20 Invitation

Key points

• Senators Roger Wicker and Jeanne Shaheen led a bipartisan letter urging Trump to disinvite Putin from the December G20 summit in Miami.
• The senators argue that inviting Putin legitimizes his government and reduces incentives for a ceasefire in Ukraine, especially given existing US sanctions against him.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the invitation on Wednesday, framing it as an opportunity for dialogue with other world leaders.
• The Kremlin has not accepted the invitation, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that no decision has been made and that Russia seeks a peace settlement, not just a ceasefire.
• European leaders, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, have criticized the invitation as normalizing Russian aggression.

Background

The invitation follows a series of diplomatic moves by the Trump administration to re-engage Russia, including a prior invitation for Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to a G20 finance ministers’ meeting in September. The Kremlin has not accepted the G20 invitation, and the US has recently signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, which imposes sweeping sanctions on Russian energy buyers and officials, including Putin. The invitation has drawn sharp criticism from Ukraine and European allies, who view it as a failure to isolate Russia for its ongoing war.

How outlets are covering it

Politico and The Washington Post report that the bipartisan senatorial letter emphasizes the need to isolate Russia and prevent the normalization of its government, arguing that the invitation undermines pressure for a ceasefire. Al Jazeera highlights the Kremlin’s cautious response, noting that Russia seeks a peace settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire, and points to the ICC warrant against Putin, which the US is not bound to enforce. European leaders, as reported by Al Jazeera, criticize the invitation as normalizing aggression, while the Trump administration frames it as a diplomatic opportunity for dialogue.

Why it matters

The G20 invitation signals a shift in US foreign policy toward engaging Russia despite its ongoing war in Ukraine, potentially undermining international pressure for a ceasefire. The bipartisan senatorial push reflects internal US divisions over how to handle Russia, while European allies fear the move normalizes aggression and could embolden Moscow to continue its attacks. The outcome could influence the trajectory of the Ukraine-Russia conflict and US-Russia relations in the lead-up to the midterms.

What to watch

The White House has not responded to the senatorial letter, and the Kremlin has not accepted the invitation. The G20 summit is scheduled for December in Miami, and the outcome of the invitation could shape US-Russia relations and the broader diplomatic landscape for the Ukraine-Russia war. The Trump administration may also face pressure from European allies and domestic critics to reconsider the invitation.