Video from a statement by Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio answers a question about Sergey Lavrov's participation at his press availability after the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, October 31, 2026.
Excerpt from 22:55 to 25:38 of the U.S. Department of State video. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: U.S. Department of State. Public domain (U.S. government work) (opens in a new tab)
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: 22:55 to 25:37, question on Sergey Lavrov's participation and Rubio's answer)
Asked why Lavrov was at the Atlanta meeting, Rubio says the United States has to be able to talk to both Russia and Ukraine to mediate an end to the war, and that inviting Russia to forums like the G20 lets it hear from other countries as well.
“But we have to be able to talk to the Russian side. And one of the ways to do that is to invite them to forums like this, where they're not just hearing from us, but potentially hearing from other countries that are there as well.”