Trump ready to invite Zelensky to the G20 as Rubio doubts a peace deal

“Yes, no problem”

US President Donald Trump said he is ready to invite Volodymyr Zelensky to the Group of Twenty summit. At a Halloween celebration at his Mar-a-Lago residence, a reporter asked whether he would invite the Ukrainian president, given that Vladimir Putin had been invited. “Yes, no problem,” Trump replied, Ukrinform reported.

The United States holds the G20 presidency in 2026. The leaders’ summit is planned for 14–15 December in Miami at the Trump National Doral golf resort, owned by the US president. Ukraine is not a G20 member.

“Very close to a deal”

Speaking to blogger Benny Johnson, Trump went further. Asked whether Ukrainian and Russian representatives could sit at one table during the summit, he said: “I think we’re very close to a deal, and I didn’t say that before.” He again cited “tremendous hatred between the two leaders” but said he sees “very good chances” of settling the issue.

Rubio: the president will decide

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who hosted the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta, sounded more restrained. On Zelensky attending the summit, he said: “The president will make the decision. I wouldn’t rule it out, especially if his participation could help achieve something positive.”

At the same time, according to The Kyiv Independent, Rubio admitted: “I don’t know if negotiated peace is achievable in Ukraine, that’s what we’re trying to find out. I don’t think anyone here is claiming that we’re on the verge of a negotiated settlement.” He also said the US has no confirmation that Putin will attend the December summit.

Why Lavrov was invited

The presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Atlanta caused a row. According to the BBC and AP, cited by The Kyiv Independent, the traditional family photo was cancelled because European ministers refused to stand next to him. Rubio explained: “How can you have a negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine if you don’t have the ability to talk to both Russia and Ukraine?” Talking to someone, he said, does not legitimise everything that person does.

Kallas: a risk of “normalisation”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Politico that Putin’s return to such forums would amount to a de facto “normalisation” of the war crimes Russia commits in Ukraine every day. She noted, however, that Lavrov’s presence allows Russian lies to be rebutted on the spot, and called for tougher sanctions.

Abu Dhabi: 6–10 November

The nearest concrete step is a technical-level trilateral meeting. Zelensky told Tony Perkins it could take place between 6 and 10 November, provisionally in Abu Dhabi. “I don’t know whether it will be exactly this date or exactly in Abu Dhabi, but we will support it,” he said, thanking the US for mediating.

What next

There is still no official date for the Abu Dhabi talks, and no confirmation that Putin or Zelensky will attend the Miami summit. Zelensky said Ukraine is waiting for the US to set a date for the trilateral meeting and hopes it will take place before 10 November.