NEW DELHI: The United States has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 meeting scheduled to be held in Miami, Florida, in December, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. The invitation could also provide an opportunity for Putin and US President Donald Trump to hold talks on the sidelines of the gathering.

Rubio made the announcement after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He said Washington viewed the G20 as an opportunity for Putin to engage with Trump and other world leaders, and expressed hope that the Russian president would accept the invitation.

The Kremlin has not yet confirmed whether Putin will attend. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was grateful for the invitation and would consider it through diplomatic channels. On Thursday, Peskov said no decision had been made on a possible December meeting between Putin and Trump and that it was too early to discuss an agenda.

The invitation comes as Washington continues efforts to engage Moscow over the Russia-Ukraine war, despite the absence of a breakthrough in attempts to end the conflict. Putin and Trump last met in person in Anchorage, Alaska, in August 2025. Putin has not attended a G20 summit in person since 2019.

The December G20 meeting in Miami could therefore become an important venue for discussions between the US and Russia, although Putin's attendance and any bilateral meeting with Trump remain unconfirmed.