Sikorski criticizes Trump invitation to Putin but confirms Polish attendance at G20

Rejection of the summit invitation

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that US President Donald Trump made an error by inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Group of 20 summit scheduled for December in Miami. The Kremlin confirmed receipt of the American invitation and stated that Russian diplomats are evaluating the proposal. Sikorski pointed out that Putin faces travel restrictions in numerous countries, including South Africa, where domestic courts adhere to commitments under the International Criminal Court. Although the United States is not a party to the ICC, Sikorski maintained that the Russian leader should not receive a welcome while waging an aggressive war against Ukraine. Sikorski warned domestic nationalists to be cautious about their foreign policy expectations, arguing that transactional business approaches fail to yield peace and pull Moscow out of international isolation.

Diplomacy is harder than it looks, and sometimes puts us in uncomfortable situations that we must know how to handle.

Polish attendance at upcoming sessions

Poland does not hold formal membership in the G20 grouping of leading economies, but received an invitation from the United States to participate in this year's meetings. Sikorski confirmed he will attend the foreign ministers' meeting scheduled for 30 and 31 October in Atlanta, regardless of whether Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends. He explained that diplomatic work cannot take place solely among allies and friends, making presence at the table necessary even during difficult sessions. Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domański navigated a similar dynamic during a prior gathering of economy ministers, where the Russian representative did not join the official family photo. Sikorski pointed out that other participants, including the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the President of France, and the Prime Minister of India, would likewise avoid seeking joint photographs with Russian officials.

Stance on meeting the Russian president

Addressing the prospect of an encounter with Vladimir Putin, Sikorski affirmed that he would refuse to shake hands with the Russian leader. He referenced the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court during the term of a Polish court president, identifying Putin as a formal suspect. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented that while an invitation might aim to foster a peace process, Moscow could interpret summit access as an incentive to prolong the conflict. Sikorski reiterated that Poland considers its invitation to the G20 a diplomatic success that should not be abandoned through a boycott.

I am not in the habit of maintaining close relations with suspects.

Ukrainian capabilities and Western support

Sikorski observed that the Russian government speaks openly about its ambition to conquer all of Ukraine and has not abandoned its public war aims. However, Ukraine retains strategic leverage, as evidenced by Donald Trump asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to avoid strikes on Moscow during parade events and visits by negotiators. Kyiv has developed autonomous deep-strike capabilities to hit military targets, such as drone assembly plants and oil refineries, while offering reciprocal ceasefire terms. Sikorski noted that direct US financial aid ended with Trump taking office, replaced by US arms sales to European governments that transfer equipment to Ukraine, alongside ongoing intelligence sharing for civilian defense.