Russia invited to G20 energy summit in Houston
A Russian representative will participate in the G20 ministerial meeting in Houston amid a tense situation in the global energy market. The meeting takes place against the backdrop of low European gas reserves, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, and rising fuel prices.
Russia invited to G20 energy summit in Houston
A Russian official will participate in the G20 energy ministers' meeting in Houston next week. This was reported by a White House official on Friday.
The event, titled "G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Abundance," will run from Monday to Wednesday. From the US side, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and White House representative Jarrod Agen are expected to participate. Washington did not immediately disclose the name of the Russian participant. Energy officials from Europe and Asia have also been invited to the meeting.
This is the second sign in a short period indicating Russia's partial return to the "Group of Twenty" formats. In August, the US allowed Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to personally attend a G20 meeting in North Carolina for the first time since the war in Ukraine began in 2022.
The official theme is "energy abundance." However, the actual agenda is much more tense. European auditors recently admitted that the EU's process of phasing out Russian oil and gas is going slower than planned, and gas reserves remain low ahead of winter. At the same time, the war in Ukraine and the situation around Iran are causing panic in the markets: in the US, a gallon of diesel fuel has set a record by exceeding $6, the Strait of Hormuz is practically closed for oil and gas deliveries, and in the US itself, the construction of data centers is putting pressure on the energy grid.
According to Reuters, the political atmosphere is also tense. Donald Trump recently spoke about having an "excellent" conversation with Vladimir Putin and Moscow's desire to reach an agreement on Ukraine. US, Ukrainian, and European intelligence agencies doubt the seriousness of these intentions. Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives will likely vote on new sanctions against Russia during the Houston meeting. The passage of the bill is not guaranteed.
The Trump administration's first sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine were introduced in October 2025, affecting Rosneft and Lukoil.
The participation of the Russian representative in the G20 energy meeting is seen as Washington's attempt to maintain a channel of dialogue on oil and gas markets without lifting sanctions pressure.