Fourteen senators—seven Republicans and seven Democrats—signed a Thursday-night letter urging President Trump to keep Vladimir Putin out of December’s G20 summit in Miami, saying his attendance could legitimize Moscow and undercut efforts to press for a Ukraine ceasefire.
Sens. Roger Wicker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led the letter. The senators also cited U.S. sanctions on Putin, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and other members of Moscow’s delegation over conduct the United States has determined poses a national-security threat.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Putin had been invited to the summit, which is scheduled for Trump National Doral in Miami. Rubio described it as an opportunity for Putin to engage with Trump and other world leaders.
