US senators go against Trump over Putin: details
14 US senators from both parties have called on President Trump to revoke the invitation to Vladimir Putin for the G20 summit in Miami. The lawmakers warned that the Russian leader's participation would legitimize aggression against Ukraine and damage the US reputation. The initiative was led by Senators Roger Wicker and Jeanne Shaheen.
14 US senators from both parties have called on President Donald Trump to revoke the invitation to Vladimir Putin for the G20 summit scheduled for May 14-15 in Miami. The lawmakers warned that the Russian leader's participation could seriously harm the US position on the world stage and legitimize Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The senators' letter states that Putin bears sole responsibility for launching a full-scale war, and his presence at the summit raises concerns about normalizing the activities of a government that shells civilian targets. The senators also reminded that Putin, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and other members of the Russian delegation are under US sanctions. The authors' strategic argument: the Kremlin will have no incentive to agree to a ceasefire if Putin is not isolated from the international community. The appeal was initiated by Republican Roger Wicker and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, with six more senators joining the letter. Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the invitation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed it, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested a trilateral meeting within the summit.