Russia has received an invitation to attend the G20 summit in Miami at the highest level, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said at UN headquarters, RIA Novosti reports.
"There is an invitation to be present at the highest level, but we will look closer to the date, God knows what will happen before then," Pankin said, according to the Russian state agency.
The statement marks a shift in tone from the Kremlin's position three weeks earlier. On 11 March, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that a visit by Vladimir Putin to the US summit "is not being discussed."
Pankin's remarks also follow earlier comments by Svetlana Lukash, Russia's representative to the G20, who said the American presidency was preparing for the possible arrival of the Russian leader at the event.
The United States plans to hold the G20 summit in December 2026 in Miami.
Western leaders like former US President Joe Biden pushed for its expulsion after the Ukraine invasion, but no consensus was reached due to opposition from China, India, and others. Russia continued participating, with Putin confirming attendance at the 2022 Bali summit (though he ultimately sent Lavrov). As of 2026, it remains a member.
