The United States canceled the traditional "family photo" at the G20 foreign ministers meeting in Atlanta on Friday after multiple delegations refused to participate alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

US officials said Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the decision to forgo the ceremonial image to prevent it from becoming a distraction from substantive discussions. A US official stated that the photo was dropped once it became clear some delegations would not join.

European diplomats led the objections, with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul declaring there would be no family photo featuring European partners with Lavrov because there is no normalcy with Russia. Britain's Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and officials from Australia and Canada also signaled they would not pose with the Russian minister.

The cancellation underscores ongoing divisions within the G20 over Russia's actions in Ukraine, even as the Trump administration has pursued a partial thaw in US-Russia relations. Recent steps include waivers on some sanctions and a deal for importing Russian diesel.

The Atlanta gathering, hosted by the US, serves as a precursor to the full G20 leaders summit scheduled for December in Miami. Ukraine was not invited to the current meeting.

Russia's presence at the event drew criticism from Western participants, who view it as conflicting with efforts to hold Moscow accountable. The photo cancellation highlights how European resistance complicated the US-hosted proceedings focused on diplomacy.