A bipartisan group of 14 U.S. senators has urged President Trump to block Vladimir Putin from attending the December G20 summit in Miami, arguing his presence would legitimize Russia amid its war in Ukraine. Led by Sens. Roger Wicker and Jeanne Shaheen, the letter cites U.S. sanctions on Putin and other Russian officials and warns that inviting Putin could weaken pressure for a ceasefire. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Putin received an invitation to the summit at Trump National Doral, while U.S. intermediaries recently visited Moscow to pursue talks.
Bipartisan Senators Urge Trump To Bar Putin From Miami G20 Summit
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File
A bipartisan group of 14 U.S. senators has asked President Donald Trump to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from attending the December G20 summit in Miami, arguing that his presence would confer legitimacy on Moscow amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.
Senators Unite Across Party Lines
The letter, sent Thursday night and reported by The Washington Post on Friday, was led by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In total, seven Republicans and seven Democrats signed the appeal to the president.
Signatories
- Roger Wicker (R-MS)
- Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
- John Cornyn (R-TX)
- Jerry Moran (R-KS)
- Alan Armstrong (R-OK)
- Thom Tillis (R-NC)
- John Curtis (R-UT)
- Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
- Michael Bennet (D-CO)
- Chris Coons (D-DE)
- Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
- Tim Kaine (D-VA)
- Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)
"President Putin bears sole responsibility for launching Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine," the senators wrote. "Allowing him to participate in a G20 Summit in the United States raises serious concerns about legitimizing and normalizing a government that continues to attack Ukrainian civilian targets every day."
Sanctions and Diplomatic Concerns
The lawmakers noted existing U.S. sanctions targeting President Putin, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and other members of Russia's delegation, saying some have been sanctioned for conduct the United States views as a national security threat. They argued that inviting Putin could undermine efforts to pressure Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, since diplomatic isolation is a key lever for influencing behavior.
Invitation Confirmed; Private Diplomacy Underway
Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed Wednesday that Putin had been invited to the summit, scheduled to take place at the Trump National Doral golf course in Miami. Rubio described the summit as "an opportunity for him to engage not just with the president but with other world leaders."
Separately, U.S. intermediaries — special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law — traveled to Moscow earlier this month to try to restart talks on Ukraine. According to reports, Witkoff struck a warm tone during the visit, thanking Putin for hosting and saying his meetings would be among the stories he would tell after retiring.
This bipartisan appeal highlights an intersection of national security, sanctions policy and summit diplomacy as the administration prepares to host global leaders in December.
Source: Mediaite, reporting on a Washington Post article.
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