Emily Thornberry says there is no point meeting Russian officials just to smile sweetly and pretend everything is OK
Emily ThornberryChair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, on BBC Radio 4's PM programme
Speaking on BBC Radio 4 after the G20 photocall was scrapped, Thornberry says she understands why some countries would talk to Moscow but would not want to be photographed with the Russians, and that any meeting should be used to tell Russia to stop the war.
“The point is, if there's going to be foreign ministers meeting, there's no point in meeting them just to smile sweetly and pretend everything's OK because everything is not OK”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
U.S. scraps G20 group photo after European ministers object to posing with Lavrov; Rubio defends inviting Russia
The United States canceled the group photo at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta after several European ministers objected to posing with Russia's Sergey Lavrov. Rubio said the United States has to talk to Russia to help end the war in Ukraine.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
PA Media report that the U.S. scrapped the G20 photocall after Ed Miliband and other European ministers refused to be pictured with Lavrov. It quotes a UK government source on the UK's policy of no direct bilateral engagement with Russian ministers and quotes Emily Thornberry, chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, from BBC Radio 4's PM programme.
Before the quotation
PA Media reported that the United States scrapped the G20 photocall after Ed Miliband and other European ministers refused to be pictured with Lavrov. Thornberry said she could understand why some countries would want to speak to officials from Moscow, but that you would not want to have your photo taken at the moment with the Russians.
After the quotation
She said ministers should use the meeting as an opportunity to make it perfectly clear that Europe is united behind Ukraine and that Russia has to stop the war.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the United States' decision to bring Russia, represented by Lavrov, into the G20 foreign ministers' talks in Atlanta. Thornberry accepts that ministers may meet Russian officials but says she would not want to be photographed with them and that any meeting should be used to press Russia to stop the war, a conditional position.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Sergey Lavrov
More from this case
Read the full caseRubio says the United States has to be able to talk to Russia and that inviting it to forums like the G20 is one way to do that
“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.”Read statement
Johann Wadephul says there is no business as usual with Russia but differences must be discussed at the table
“There is no such thing as 'business as usual' with Russia. We need to discuss our differences right here at the table.”Read statement
Don Bacon says Lavrov should not be allowed in the country and Russian leaders should not be welcomed in such forums
“Lavrov should not be allowed in the country. As long as Putin is waging war against Ukraine and bombing cities, Russian leaders should not be welcomed in any of these forums. They lead a pariah state.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Emily Thornberry says there is no point meeting Russian officials just to smile sweetly and pretend everything is OK
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/7910-speaking-on-bbc-radio-4-after-the-g20
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Emily Thornberry says there is no point meeting Russian officials just to smile sweetly and pretend everything is OK". First published: 2026-11-03. Last updated: 2026-11-03. https://disputeindex.com/events/7910-speaking-on-bbc-radio-4-after-the-g20