US President Donald Trump Has Opened the Door for Russia’s Putin and China’s Xi at the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami
In a surprising statement, former US President Donald Trump said he would welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to the 2026 G20 summit in Miami, if they want to attend. Trump made the comment during a visit to the Oval Office, showing his openness to involving these world leaders in a major global event.
Trump told reporters, “That’s an interesting question — I’d love them to, if they want to.” He added that they could attend as observers, but wasn’t sure if they would want to participate.
Next year, the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary, and for the first time in nearly 20 years, the US will host the G20 summit. Trump announced that the event will take place in Miami at his Doral golf resort, which he claims is the perfect location because it’s close to the airport and very beautiful. He previously suggested hosting a G7 summit there in 2020 but changed his mind due to criticism over potential personal profit. Trump reassured everyone, saying, “There’s no money in it,” but emphasized they want it to be a good event.
Both Russia and China are members of the G20. However, due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, President Putin has skipped the past two G20 summits in India (2023) and Brazil (2024). Instead, Russia has sent its Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to these meetings. Chinese President Xi Jinping did attend last year’s G20 in Brazil.
Looking ahead, Trump also shared plans to host the 2026 G20 summit at his Doral golf club in Miami. Meanwhile, this year’s G20 summit is scheduled for November 22-23 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Trump announced he will not attend that event himself. Instead, Vice President J.D. Vance will represent the US. Trump said, “I won’t be going this year, it’s in South Africa. JD will be going, and he looks forward to it.”
Earlier this year, Trump indicated he might skip this year’s G20 summit because of disagreements with South Africa, the host country. He even suspended aid to South Africa, accusing it of discrimination against White farmers and calling for the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees fleeing what he described as race-based discrimination. Additionally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would not attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg, criticizing South Africa’s recent policies.
As the global economy faces uncertain times, the upcoming G20 summit remains a key event where world leaders discuss pressing issues like economic recovery, inflation, and international relations. Trump’s comments about future G20 plans and inviting leaders like Putin and Xi highlight the ongoing importance of this global forum.
