Kallas accuses Lavrov of lying at G20 foreign ministers meeting

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by AFP.

Sharp disagreements emerged at the negotiating table. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas notably accused Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of spreading false narratives about the war in Ukraine.

“He put forward a lot of lies, a lot of false stories,” Kallas told AFP.

European officials have also reportedly sought to increase pressure on Moscow, particularly to secure a ceasefire in the Black Sea, a key corridor for agricultural exports.

Lavrov, for his part, was “quite provocative” in his remarks, said a European diplomatic source.

Lavrov spoke briefly on the sidelines with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is hosting the meeting. According to the Russian minister, the conversation was “decent”.

At a press conference, Lavrov criticized the Europeans for their “arrogant boycott”, while praising the administration of US President Donald Trump for its willingness to “engage with Moscow”.

The plan for the traditional group photo of G20 foreign ministers was abandoned after some European officials objected to being photographed alongside Lavrov, a diplomatic source told AFP.

A U.S. official said the group photo was canceled to prevent “a ceremonial photo opportunity from becoming a diplomatic distraction.”

The Atlanta meeting, held just days before the US midterm elections, sets the stage for the G20 leaders’ summit due to take place at President Trump’s Miami residence in December.

Instead of a final declaration, the two-day talks are expected to conclude on Saturday with a summary report prepared by the United States.

As Ukrinform reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to go to the G20 summit in Miami and meet with Vladimir Putin if the United States invited the Kremlin leader to attend the forum.

In April, it became known that the United States plans to invite Putin to the G20 leaders’ summit, scheduled for December 14-15 in Miami.