Prime Minister Andy Burnham has definitively stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be invited to the G20 summit scheduled to take place in Manchester in November 2027. The decision comes after an earlier contemplation of inviting a Russian delegation, which had reportedly caused disquiet within the government.
Burnham, who is set to host leaders from the world's major economies in the city where he previously served as mayor, explained that the exclusion is due to existing sanctions against key figures in the Russian administration. "No. There are sanctions against leading figures in the administration," Burnham told The Economist, addressing the prospect of Putin's attendance. He clarified, "So, if I maybe rephrase it, technically, but will not be coming because of an outstanding sanction."
Russia was expelled from the G8 in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea, but it remains a member of the G20. The UK government has faced pressure to isolate Putin's regime, particularly since the invasion of Ukraine.
This stance contrasts with a reported invitation extended by U.S. President Donald Trump for Putin to attend this year's G20 summit in Miami, where the U.S. administration expressed hope for engagement between world leaders.
The issue of Russian participation has recently surfaced in international diplomacy. A planned "family photo" at a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta was canceled when European representatives, including Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, refused to stand alongside Russia's Sergei Lavrov. Sources indicated that G20 participants had threatened to walk out if the photo opportunity proceeded.
Foreign Secretary Miliband had previously stated that the UK does not engage with Russian officials in certain ways, emphasizing the need to counter "the Russian hybrid threat."