The United States canceled the official group photo of foreign ministers at the G20 meeting held in Atlanta on Friday, October 30, after several European representatives refused to be photographed alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The diplomats threatened to walk out of the meeting if the Russian delegation was included in the photo, IPN reports.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to skip the official photo session to avoid a diplomatic confrontation and further controversy, according to US officials cited by Euronews.

The dispute reflects tensions among G20 member states, particularly against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and escalating Russian attacks. Several member countries had previously voiced their displeasure at the invitation extended to Moscow. Relations between Washington and its European allies have also been strained after President Donald Trump’s administration temporarily suspended some sanctions against Moscow and curtailed logistical and intelligence support for Kyiv.

Opening the meeting, Marco Rubio called for cooperation, saying the world was at a critical juncture, marked by interconnected economic and geopolitical crises. The agenda for the talks in Atlanta includes the war in Ukraine, the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, U.S. trade tariffs, and disputes in the South China Sea. The foreign ministers’ meeting comes ahead of the G20 leaders’ summit, scheduled for December in Miami and hosted by President Donald Trump.