Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow and Washington have made no “real progress” in their diplomatic relations, despite his visit to Atlanta for the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting on Oct 30-31. Speaking after a brief session with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lavrov dismissed suggestions that a recent U.S. decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel imports signaled a rapprochement. He noted that American military assistance to Ukraine continues and sanctions remain in place, warning that claiming the diesel agreement broke the diplomatic blockade was an “illusion.”
The gathering marked the first trip to the U.S. by a high-ranking Russian official since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though tensions remained high throughout the summit. The U.S. was forced to cancel the traditional G20 group photograph after European delegations threatened to walk out rather than pose with Lavrov, an act the Russian minister called an “arrogant boycott.” While Lavrov characterized his talk with Rubio as “not bad,” he said any potential for a breakthrough now rests on a possible meeting between the leaders of Russia, China, and the U.S. at the upcoming APEC summit in China.