The key facts
- The G20 foreign ministers' meeting is taking place in Atlanta on October 30–31 under the chairmanship of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- Central themes include the war with Iran, energy security, freedom of navigation and supply chains
- The United States withdrew South Africa's invitation but invited Russia without Ukraine; no joint declaration is expected
An agenda under pressure from war and rifts
The war with Iran and its impact on global energy supplies, maritime security and trade dominate the G20 meeting in Atlanta, where the foreign ministers of leading economies are gathering, The National reports. The United States, under the chairmanship of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, wants to focus the group on its 'core mission' of stimulating economic growth, but disputes over Russia's war in Ukraine, China's economic policy and the exclusion of South Africa could overshadow the two-day event, which begins on Friday in Georgia.
Who is invited — and who is not
Washington withdrew South Africa's invitation amid disagreements with Pretoria over its domestic and foreign policies, including the case it filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Russia, by contrast, was invited — unlike Ukraine — against the backdrop of Donald Trump's rapprochement with Moscow. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she would push for greater support for Ukraine and accountability through a 'special tribunal and claims commission', citing a Russian strike on a railway station in Ukraine that killed at least 14 people.
Sanctions and the Russian presence
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend the meeting, adding to the tension. This month Trump issued sanctions waivers allowing Russia to export diesel fuelin order to curb high fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections. Critics argue that Moscow will channel the new revenues into its war machine against Ukraine or into deepening ties with Iran. Lavrov is not the first sanctioned Russian official to visit the United States: in September, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov took part in a G20 meeting in North Carolina and held talks with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Participants' positions and outcomes
According to the State Department, the discussions will focus on threats to freedom of navigation, energy and food security, and supply chains. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is taking part in the meeting; the UAE is not expected in Atlanta but has been invited to the leaders' summit in Miami in December. Turkey, according to its Foreign Ministry, will call on Washington and Tehran to resolve their dispute through diplomacy, and Minister Hakan Fidan will highlight the strikes on ships and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. France intends to push for cooperation on maritime security, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as well as discussions on energy diversification. French diplomatic sources said no joint declaration is expected; the United States may publish only a chairman's statement, and the extent to which it will reflect different positions remains unclear. The Atlanta meeting is the final ministerial forum under the US G20 presidency before the leaders' summit in Miami on December 14–15; Vladimir Putin has not yet said whether he will attend.
