President Donald Trump expressed enthusiasm on Friday for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the G20 summit of world leaders in Florida next year.
When asked if he expected the Russian and Chinese leaders to attend the G20 meeting at Trump National Doral Miami golf course, Trump replied, “I’d love them to if they want to.”
He added that he would not attend this year’s G20 summit in South Africa.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries for comment.
Why It Matters
The G20 includes Russia and China as well as the European Union (EU) and the African Union but a war crimes arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) meant Putin did not attend last year’s event in Brazil.
Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 may have led to his isolation from the West but Kremlin media hailed his meeting with Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, last month as a sign he was being brought back into the fold.
The U.S. does not recognize the ICC but if Putin accepts a G20 summit invitation, this could be tricky diplomatically for other world leaders present. Also, the presence on American soil of Xi would raise the event’s stakes.
What To Know
Apart from the G20 member states, the EU, and the African Union, Trump said Friday he wanted to invite additional observers, including Poland.
When asked if Putin and Xi might attend, Trump said he would “love them to” and that they could attend as “observers,” although both countries they lead are already full members of the group.
Xi last visited the U.S. in 2023 when he went to San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
Putin met with Trump in Alaska as part of Washington-led efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, although there was no breakthrough.
This week, Trump took a swipe at the show of solidarity between Putin and Xi, along with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who recently attended a parade in Beijing that marked Japan’s surrender in WWII, as he accused them of conspiring against the United States.
Trump had planned to hold a G7 summit at his Miami resort in 2020 but abandoned the idea after criticism over potential conflicts of interest. He said Friday the venue was ideal because “it’s right next to the airport.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump told reporters Friday when asked whether the leaders of China and Russia could come to Miami for the G20: “I’d love them too, if they want to.”
He added: “I’m not sure they want to be an observer. If they want to, we can certainly talk.”
What Happens Next?
Neither China nor Russia have responded to Trump’s overture which comes amid failed progress at getting a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
In the meantime, eyes will be on the upcoming G20 which will be held in Johannesburg from November 22-23.
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