Ed Miliband, USA News (Atlanta, Georgia): Ed Miliband stated that he informed the Russian Foreign Minister his country would not prevail in its invasion of Ukraine during the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The traditional photocall of all attendees was scrapped after approximately a third of participants, including the Foreign Secretary, refused to be pictured alongside Mr. Lavrov.
Sergei Lavrov, the Kremlin’s representative at the multinational gathering, remarked that the scrapped call was merely “family photo diplomacy.” He additionally stated that Volodymyr Zelensky’s comments regarding maintaining strikes on Russian targets were unhelpful for potential future peace talks.
The 2026 G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, featuring representatives from 19 countries alongside the European Union and African Union, commenced in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday. The Foreign Secretary stated in a direct message to the Russian Foreign Minister that everyone knows who the aggressor in the conflict is.
“We all know you started this war four and a half years ago with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” Mr. Miliband said. “And Putin thought then he would win this war easily. But you are not winning this war.”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul noted that a family photo was impossible because there was “no normalcy with Russia.” In response, Mr. Lavrov stated: “I call this ‘family photo diplomacy.’ If what matters most to them is how they look in a family photo, and who’s standing next to them, well, that says it all.” U.S. officials informed Reuters that the photocall was cancelled to avoid a spectacle that might overshadow the meeting.
Addressing the plenary, Mr. Miliband stated: “If you had the courage to tell the truth and to do what is right you would tell Putin that he is not winning this war and will not win.” He insisted that members of the multinational body must work harder to secure a lasting peace, highlighting global fuel prices and food insecurity resulting from the invasion.
“An assault not only on Ukraine but on us all, trampling international law, sovereignty and self determination – core principles on which we all depend,” he added. “This war is not simply a test for Europe or for Nato – it requires all of us to apply economic and diplomatic pressure to deprive Putin of the revenues that perpetuate this barbaric war.”
The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting aims to set the stage for the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled at Donald Trump’s Miami resort, the Trump National Doral Miami, on December 14 and 15. Marco Rubio led the plenary, while Russian leadership criticized Poland’s inclusion as a full participant and noted that South Africa was banned from attending the Leaders’ Summit.
