The Trump administration has formally invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Group of 20 leaders' summit in Miami-Dade County this December, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday. The summit will take place at the president's golf resort, Trump National Doral Miami, from Dec. 14-15. If Putin accepts, one of the most closely watched world leaders could arrive in Doral for the gathering.
What Happened
Rubio, who also serves as Trump's national security adviser, confirmed the invitation at a press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The announcement came after he met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
We've invited President Putin to the G20," Rubio told reporters. The Hill
RFE/RL reported that this was the first public confirmation that Washington had invited Putin to the leaders' summit. Russian officials had previously been invited to ministerial-level meetings.
Key Details
- Event: The 2026 G20 Miami Summit, the twenty-first meeting of the Group of Twenty
- Dates: December 14–15, 2026
- Venue: Trump National Doral Miami, a property owned by the summit's host, President Donald Trump, in Doral, Florida
- Announced by: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Sept. 23, 2026
- Russia's G20 status: Russia is still a G20 member, although it was removed from the G8 after annexing Ukraine's Crimea in 2014
Impact on Miami
A G20 leaders' summit brings heads of state and government from the world's largest economies to one location. Beyond the G20 members, invited guest countries include Azerbaijan, Finland, Ireland, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The Doral resort sits close to Miami International Airport.
A possible Putin visit could add further diplomatic and logistical attention to the event. The reports reviewed for this story did not include details on security arrangements, road closures or traffic impacts for Doral and surrounding areas. Miami Goes Local will report on those plans when officials announce them.
Official Response
Rubio described the invitation as a chance for Putin to talk with Trump and other world leaders. According to the Kyiv Independent, Rubio said, "We hope that's an invitation he'll accept." He later made clear that a Trump–Putin meeting had not been agreed.
Rubio linked the invitation to the president's approach to diplomacy. He said Trump is "willing to engage and meet with virtually anyone".
On the war in Ukraine, Rubio said both sides had shown interest in a limited ceasefire covering grain and energy, while acknowledging that such a deal would not be easy. According to the State Department readout, Rubio and Lavrov discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and the U.S.-Russia bilateral relationship. Al JazeeraThe Hill
From Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said before the Rubio-Lavrov meeting that a Trump-Putin summit would require preparatory work. The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Background
Trump and Putin have not met since their summit in Anchorage, Alaska, in August of last year. Trump also invited Putin to Washington, D.C., in 2019, but that trip never happened. UNNAxios
A Miami visit would raise legal and diplomatic questions. The U.S. sanctioned Putin after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Axios reported that the administration would have to address those sanctions for a Miami visit. For the Alaska summit, the Treasury Department temporarily authorized transactions that would otherwise have been prohibited. In 2023, the International Criminal Court also issued an arrest warrant for Putin over the alleged deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.
Ukrainian outlet UNN reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to travel to Miami to meet Putin if the Russian leader attends.
What Happens Next
Russia has not publicly accepted the invitation. Reuters reported earlier this year that the Kremlin said Putin might travel to Miami or send another representative. The summit is set for Dec. 14–15 at Trump National Doral Miami. Axios
Conclusion
The United States has invited Vladimir Putin to December's G20 summit in Doral. Rubio has said a Trump-Putin meeting there is not yet agreed, and Moscow has not confirmed whether Putin will attend.
