Yes
I do.
No
I don’t.
President Donald Trump’s decision to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the upcoming G20 summit in Miami is generating another debate over America’s relationship with Russia.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed this week that the United States has invited Putin to attend the G20 summit scheduled for December 14–15 in Miami. If Putin attends, it would be a significant diplomatic appearance for the Russian leader in the United States as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues.
The invitation comes as President Trump continues diplomatic contacts with Moscow. Earlier this month, Trump said that he had a “great conversation” with Putin and expressed his belief that the Russian president wants an agreement to end the fighting in Ukraine.
At the same time, lawmakers in Washington continue debating how aggressively the United States should confront Russia. Congress has considered additional sanctions targeting Russia and countries that purchase large amounts of Russian energy. A major Russia sanctions proposal previously received substantial bipartisan support in the Senate.
Critics of engagement with Putin argue that welcoming the Russian president to a major international gathering could give Moscow diplomatic legitimacy without requiring sufficient concessions over Ukraine.
Supporters of direct diplomacy argue that major conflicts are ultimately resolved through negotiation and that keeping communication open with adversarial governments does not necessarily mean approving of their actions.
The disagreement reflects a larger foreign-policy question that has existed for decades: Should American presidents isolate hostile governments until their behavior changes, or should they maintain direct relationships in hopes of negotiating agreements?
With the G20 approaching, Trump’s invitation to Putin is likely to remain a closely watched issue.