Putin likely to skip G20 summit in Miami, plans to attend APEC in China instead
Vladimir Putin is expected to skip the G20 leaders' summit in Miami in December and instead plans to attend the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, in November — his first in-person APEC since 2017. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had proposed meeting Putin at the G20, but Putin rejected the proposal. Russian officials reportedly do not expect progress on a ceasefire before the G20.
Key points
- Putin is likely to skip the G20 summit on 14–15 December in Miami, Florida, held at Trump's golf resort.
- Putin plans to personally attend the APEC summit on 18–19 November in Shenzhen, China — his first in-person APEC since 2017.
- Zelensky proposed meeting Putin at the G20; Putin rejected the proposal.
- Zelensky is scheduled to meet Trump in New York on 22 September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
- Russian officials do not expect ceasefire progress before the G20; the Kremlin is increasingly disappointed in Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
- Putin's foreign travel is constrained by sanctions, security considerations, and the 2023 ICC arrest warrant tied to the deportation of Ukrainian children.
- The US has said Russia can participate in all G20 proceedings; Trump said on 2 September he had not yet decided whether to invite Putin.
Why it matters
Putin's expected absence from the G20 removes a potential in-person meeting with Zelensky and Trump, eliminating a high-profile diplomatic moment amid the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin's reported disappointment in Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner signals a possible cooling of the US-Russia push for a ceasefire ahead of the summit. The ICC arrest warrant for Putin, tied to the deportation of Ukrainian children, is identified as a constraint on his foreign travel. Russian officials reportedly do not expect ceasefire progress before the G20, indicating negotiations remain stalled. Zelensky's scheduled meeting with Trump in New York on 22 September at the UN General Assembly runs on a separate track.
What happened
Vladimir Putin is likely to skip the G20 leaders' summit scheduled for 14–15 December in Miami, Florida, at Donald Trump's golf resort, and instead plans to attend the APEC summit on 18–19 November in Shenzhen, China, chaired by Xi Jinping. It would be Putin's first in-person APEC since 2017. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had proposed meeting Putin at the G20, but Putin rejected the proposal. Zelensky is separately scheduled to meet Trump in New York on 22 September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The US State Department has said Russia can participate in all G20 proceedings, and Trump said on 2 September he had not yet decided whether to invite Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment. Russian officials reportedly do not expect progress on ceasefire negotiations before the G20, and the Kremlin is reportedly increasingly disappointed in Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Putin's foreign travel is limited by sanctions, security considerations, and the 2023 ICC arrest warrant over the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children; he visited Mongolia in 2024 despite Mongolia being a party to the Rome Statute.
Where reporting differs
The supplied facts render Zelensky's name in two forms: 'Volodymyr Zelensky' and 'Volodymyr Zelenskyy.' The latest G20 reporting is from Bloomberg, where Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment; Trump earlier in September said he had not yet decided whether to invite Putin — leaving open whether Putin's expected absence reflects a decision not to come or the absence of a formal invitation.
Background
The G20 leaders' summit is scheduled for 14–15 December in Miami, Florida, at Trump's golf resort; the US has said Russia can participate in all G20 proceedings. The APEC summit is to be held on 18–19 November in Shenzhen, China, chaired by Xi Jinping. Putin last attended a G20 summit in 2019. In April, media reported the US intended to invite Putin to the G20, but no invitation had been sent at that time; Trump said on 2 September he had not yet decided whether to invite Putin. Trump hosted Putin at a summit in Alaska in August 2025. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin in 2023 over the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children; Putin visited Mongolia in 2024 despite Mongolia being a party to the Rome Statute.