G20 Foreign Ministers Meet in Atlanta: Live Updates

Oct. 30 · Logged 2:40 PM ET

Afternoon: closed-door energy session, then Rubio bilaterals and a U.S.-Japan-South Korea signing

Ministers moved into Session II on energy and economic growth at 2 p.m., closed to press, according to the State Department’s public schedule. Rubio is then slated to meet Turkey’s Hakan Fidan (3:40 p.m.), Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan (4:10 p.m.) and Japan’s Motegi Toshimitsu with South Korea’s Cho Hyun (4:40 p.m.), followed by a 5:10 p.m. signing of a Trilateral Arctic Pacific Partnership Memorandum of Cooperation and a 6:35 p.m. welcome reception.

Oct. 30 · Logged 2:35 PM ET

Poland’s Sikorski calls scrapped photo “the right decision”

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski told media in Atlanta that canceling the group photo was “the right decision” by the U.S., adding, “I am not the only one who does not want to be photographed with Lavrov,” the AP reported.

Oct. 30 · Logged 2:15 PM ET

U.S. weighed two photos before scrapping it; official says it kept focus on substance

Two Western officials told CNN that more than a third of attending officials had threatened to walk out of a picture with Lavrov, and three sources said the U.S. had explored holding two photos, one with Lavrov and one without, before Rubio scrapped it altogether. “Rather than allow a ceremonial photo opportunity to become a diplomatic distraction, the US decided to forgo the photo and keep the focus on the substantive discussions,” a U.S. official said.

Oct. 30 · Logged 1:35 PM ET

UK confirms it was among countries refusing Lavrov photo

A diplomatic source confirmed to the BBC that the U.K., represented by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, was among the countries that refused to take part in the family photo. “The UK has a longstanding policy not to have direct, bilateral engagement with Russian ministers since the invasion of Ukraine and we are not about to change that,” a British official told the BBC.

Oct. 30 · Logged 1:10 PM ET

Canada’s Anand misses opening plenary; a third of delegations objected to Lavrov photo

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who has criticized Lavrov’s participation, missed the opening plenary; her spokeswoman said she was arriving late from a Canada-EU summit in Montreal, Reuters reported via Al-Monitor. A Western diplomat told Reuters that about a third of participants, including Australia and Canada, objected to a family photo with Lavrov. A State Department official said four G20 ministerial meetings this year had reached some consensus but more work was needed before the Dec. 14–16 leaders’ summit in Miami.

Oct. 30 · Logged 12:55 PM ET

Opening plenary turns to freedom of navigation and food security

Rubio told ministers the first plenary would cover “two issues in this plenary session, freedom of navigation and food security,” with each delegation given a chance to speak on each, according to OmmCom News and Anadolu Agency. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted since the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February, AFP reported.

Oct. 30 · Logged 12:50 PM ET

Rubio opens talks calling it a “moment of choosing”

“We are facing a series of interconnected economic and geopolitical crises, many of which pose severe threats to essential foundations of the global economic order,” Rubio said in his opening remarks, The National reported. He added: “By translating our shared interests into practical cooperation and real action, we can reinforce global stability,” per Anadolu Agency.

Oct. 30 · Logged 12:45 PM ET

Family photo scrapped after European objections to Lavrov

The traditional group photo was called off shortly before the meeting began after several European officials threatened to boycott or walk out of a picture with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Associated Press reported. “There is no normality with Russia,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told reporters, per Anadolu Agency.

Oct. 30 · Logged 12:40 PM ET

Lavrov arrives; China sends deputy instead of Wang Yi

Lavrov arrived in Atlanta on Friday, 11Alive reported. China’s top diplomat Wang Yi is not attending and is sending a deputy, the State Department said, according to AFP; a State Department list cited by WION names Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu.

Oct. 30 · 6:16 AM ET

Preview: Ukraine and South Africa not on the guest list

Washington limited invitations to formal G20 members, leaving Ukraine and South Africa off the list, RFE/RL reported. The State Department says it wants a “back to basics” agenda on growth, energy, trade, supply chains and freedom of navigation, and Washington backs Poland’s bid for full G20 membership.