British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the G20 summit scheduled for November 2027 in Manchester. This decision is based on ongoing sanctions imposed on senior Russian officials.
During an interview with The Economist, Burnham confirmed that arrangements for the guest list are managed by the G20, but asserted that Putin’s absence is a result of these sanctions. This stance diverges from US President Donald Trump’s choice to extend an invitation to Putin for the upcoming G20 summit in Miami this December.
The Kremlin has yet to clarify whether Putin will indeed participate in the Miami summit. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK government has adopted a policy of limited bilateral engagement with Russian leaders, a position reiterated by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.
This tension over Russia’s involvement was highlighted during a recent G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, which saw European representatives, including Miliband, refusing to pose for a group photograph with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Miliband directly addressed Lavrov, affirming that it is widely acknowledged who the aggressor in the ongoing conflict is.
Despite these issues, Russia remains a member of the G20, which includes 19 countries, the European Union, and the African Union. Notably, Ukraine is not a member, although the situation in Ukraine has been a recurrent theme at recent G20 summits. The UK has consistently shown strong support for Ukraine since the start of the conflict.
Looking ahead, Burnham expressed a desire to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to Manchester, referencing Xi’s prior visit in 2015. He believes there is significant potential for enhancing economic cooperation, particularly following former Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent visit to Beijing. Additionally, Burnham mentioned the importance of discussing artificial intelligence safety and pursuing international agreements on this matter at the summit.
The upcoming two-day G20 summit will take place at the Manchester Central Convention Centre and is expected to draw world leaders along with thousands of diplomats and delegates. This will be the first time the UK has hosted the G20 since 2009, with the government indicating that the focus of the 2027 presidency will be on economic stability and creating benefits for the UK.
