Sikorski tells Lavrov 'enough' at G20 in Atlanta, refuses joint photo

In brief

• Radosław Sikorski said he will not pose for a photo with Sergei Lavrov at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta.
• Sikorski repeated his call for Russia to end the war in Ukraine, saying enough is enough after five years of fighting.
• Lavrov's flight to the US took about 20 hours because it had to avoid airspace of countries Russia calls unfriendly.
• The two-day meeting covers freedom of navigation, food and energy security and supply chains, ahead of the December summit in Miami.

Sikorski refuses joint photo with Lavrov

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said on Friday that he would not pose for a joint photo with Sergei Lavrov at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta. Speaking to reporters before flying to the United States, he said he had the same message for Lavrov that he had delivered at the UN Security Council in late September: enough, five years of bloody war must end (Radosław Sikorski nie stanie do zdjęcia z Siergiejem Ławrowem. „Dość tej krwawej wojny” – Rzeczpospolita) (Radosław Sikorski ma "to samo przesłanie" do Siergieja Ławrowa. "Powiedz szefowi, że już wystarczy" – TVN24).

Russian delegation's long flight

Lavrov's delegation arrived in Atlanta early on Friday after a flight that lasted about 20 hours and 10 minutes, because the aircraft had to avoid airspace of countries Russia considers unfriendly. A typical Russia-to-US flight takes between 9 and 12 hours (Samolot Siergieja Ławrowa omijał "nieprzyjazne kraje". Do USA leciał niemal dobę – Onet) (Ławrow już w Atlancie. Leciał 20 godzin na spotkanie G20 – Wirtualna Polska).

Sikorski on Russian strikes

Asked about reports that Pentagon officials urged some NATO allies to tone down their warnings about Russia, Sikorski pointed to a Russian attack on a railway station in Dnipro that killed several passengers earlier that day. He asked how Western governments should respond to such attacks and to missile strikes on cities and power plants, and said he wanted someone to explain it to him (USA chcą łagodniejszego tonu wobec Rosji. Sikorski odpowiada – Polsat News). Reuters reported, citing four people familiar with the matter, that the suggestions were passed to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, among others.

Agenda in Atlanta

The two-day meeting, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is discussing freedom of navigation, food and energy security, and supply chains. Sikorski is scheduled to speak in three plenary sessions and hold about 15 bilateral meetings, including with counterparts from India, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and South Korea (Rusza spotkanie szefów dyplomacji państw G20. Nie zabrakło kontrowersji – TVN24). He said Poland has much to contribute on all three topics and wants to present itself as an influential voice for Central, Eastern and Northern Europe (Radosław Sikorski zwrócił się do Siergieja Ławrowa. "Dosyć" – Onet).

Context for the summit

The ministerial talks are meant to prepare the G20 leaders' summit planned for December 14–15 in Miami.