Putin’s G20 invitation could open path to serious Ukraine talks — German foreign minister
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German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (Photo: REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo)
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s possible participation in the G20 summit in Miami could provide an opportunity to begin serious negotiations on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in Ottawa on Sept. 25.
Wadephul broadly welcomed the U.S. invitation to Putin, describing it as a test of whether the Kremlin is genuinely prepared to negotiate.
“This invitation will be a litmus test for Vladimir Putin as to whether he is ready to negotiate seriously,” Wadephul said during a meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.
“Such opportunities have to be used,” he added.
Germany and other Ukrainian allies have repeatedly called on Putin to enter negotiations, Wadephul said. If the G20 creates such an opportunity, it could be “at least the beginning of serious negotiations.”
Wadephul stressed, however, that meaningful talks would require Russia to demonstrate a serious willingness to negotiate and for the fighting to stop while negotiations are underway.
U.S. formally invites Putin to December G20 summit
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Sept. 23 that Washington had invited Putin to the G20 leaders’ summit, scheduled for Dec. 14-15 at Trump National Doral Miami.
“We think it’s an opportunity for him to engage not just with the president but with other world leaders,” Rubio said.
Putin has not attended a G20 summit in person since 2019.
The Kremlin said on Sept. 24 that Putin had not yet decided whether to accept the invitation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow appreciated the invitation but that it was too early to discuss the agenda of a possible Putin-Trump meeting.
The invitation has drawn criticism from some European officials. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said inviting Putin risked normalizing leaders who launch wars and violate international law. Politico also reported reservations from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Wadephul’s remarks struck a more open tone than some recent German government statements.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said earlier in the week that Berlin did not regard relations with Russia as “business as usual.” Wadephul himself has also stressed that discussing negotiations does not mean a return to normal relations with Moscow, telling CNN that “it’s not time for normality with Russia” while Russia remains the aggressor.
Zelenskyy says he is ready to meet Putin in Miami
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier in September that he would attend the G20 summit and meet Putin there if the Russian leader also traveled to Miami.
“Yes, of course. We have to go. We have to meet, talk and make a decision,” Zelenskyy told Deutsche Welle in an interview published on Sept. 12.
Zelenskyy said the result of such a meeting would matter more than what the two leaders said to each other.
After meeting U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Sept. 22, Zelenskyy said the two discussed possible de-escalation measures that could “open up the way to diplomacy.”
The Kremlin has taken a different position on a potential Zelenskyy-Putin meeting.
Peskov said on Sept. 23 that Putin remained ready for another meeting with Trump. Regarding Zelenskyy, however, he repeated Moscow’s position that the Ukrainian president could travel to Moscow and said preparatory work at the expert level and unspecified decisions by Ukraine would have to come first.
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