President Donald Trump intends to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the 2026 G20 Leaders' Summit in Miami, according to U.S. officials. The gathering is scheduled for December 14-15 at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Florida, marking the first U.S.-hosted G20 summit since 2009.

No formal invitations to heads of state have been issued yet, but Russia, as a G20 member, has been invited to all ministerial and working-level meetings so far, a State Department spokesperson said. Trump expressed skepticism about Putin's attendance, stating, "I don’t know that he’s coming. I doubt he’d come, to be honest with you," but added that his presence would be "very helpful."

The president also criticized former President Barack Obama's 2014 decision to expel Russia from the G8 group, saying Putin "was very offended by that rightfully." Trump previously expressed enthusiasm for hosting both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the event last September.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin claimed Moscow received an invitation to the summit at the "highest level" and will decide on representation closer to the date. Putin has not attended a G20 leaders' summit since 2018 and skipped recent ones amid the Ukraine war and an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.

The U.S. assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2025, with Trump promising a lavish summit to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Wikipedia lists Putin among expected participants, alongside leaders from other G20 nations and guests such as Spain and the UAE.

The summit has already drawn controversy. Trump announced in November 2025 that South Africa would not be invited, citing its treatment of Afrikaners and a dispute over G20 handover procedures at the 2025 Johannesburg summit. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Doral Mayor Christi Fraga confirmed the venue in announcements from the Oval Office.

Trump's overture signals a push for dialogue with Russia despite ongoing tensions over Ukraine. Russia remains a full G20 member, though Western nations have sought to isolate Putin at international forums.