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A G20 foreign ministers meeting began in Atlanta, Georgia, without the traditional group family photo after several European diplomats objected to appearing alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was among the ministers attending.

The session opened with remarks from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described the gathering as a moment of choice and called for joint action on economic and geopolitical threats. The remainder of the meeting was closed to the press.

Group photo cancelled over European objections

The meeting in Atlanta started with what diplomats described as a photo dispute. Ministers skipped the customary family photo and went straight to the hall where the opening speeches were held.

Citing US officials, the Associated Press reported that Washington cancelled the traditional photo session after some European diplomats said they did not want to appear in the same frame as Lavrov.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told German media that "there will not be a family photo showing our European partners together with Lavrov, because what I said yesterday still holds: there is no normal relationship with Russia."

Rubio opens the session

Rubio thanked the ministers attending and said G20 countries had much to discuss with one another. He said he saw the meeting as a moment of choice not only for the United States but for the whole world. "We face a series of interconnected economic and geopolitical crises, many of which pose serious threats to the fundamental pillars of the global economic order," he said.

Rubio said those threats were causing problems in global energy, food supply, trade and even freedom of navigation at sea. "The G20 must work together to confront these threats, strengthen our economic resilience, and protect our markets and economies," he said.

The US secretary of state also said diplomats and political leaders have a vital role. "By turning our shared interests into practical cooperation and concrete action, we can reinforce global stability and, more importantly, deliver meaningful results for our citizens," Rubio said. After his opening remarks, the rest of the meeting was held behind closed doors.

Agenda and participants

Foreign ministers from Russia, China and European countries are attending the Atlanta meeting. The war between Russia and Ukraine and the crisis over Iran are expected to feature prominently in the talks.

US holds the G20 presidency

The United States took over the G20 presidency from South Africa on December 1, 2025. The G20 Leaders' Summit hosted by the US is scheduled for December 14-15, 2026, in Miami. Washington will hand the presidency to the United Kingdom on December 15.

The G20 brings together major advanced economies and emerging economies and was established to give the international monetary system a more stable structure. Along with 19 countries, the forum includes the European Union and the African Union, and represents about 85 percent of the global economy, 75 percent of trade and two thirds of the world's population.

Key takeaways

• The G20 foreign ministers meeting in Atlanta began without the traditional family photo.
• European diplomats objected to appearing with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the US cancelled the photo session, according to AP.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the meeting a moment of choice and urged joint action on economic and geopolitical threats.
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attended the meeting, where the Russia-Ukraine war and the Iran crisis were expected to feature prominently.