Putin Invite
European leaders denounce Washington's Miami G20 invitation to Putin as the CIA reportedly warns of Russian drone plans.
The wrong path.
That's how Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, described Donald Trump's invitation to Vladimir Putin for a G20 summit in Miami this December. European leaders are furious. Kallas told Sky News it would "normalise people who are starting wars." Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk went further, warning Russia might read the invite as "encouragement to continue its aggressive policies," CNBC reported.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the move Wednesday. The summit gives Putin "an opportunity to engage" with world leaders, he said, and Washington hopes he accepts, CNBC reported. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow "truly" appreciates the "kind" invitation but has not decided whether Putin will attend, according to Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti, as cited by CNBC.
It would be Putin's second US visit since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Spain, France and Italy face a different threat right now. The CIA has warned European governments that Russia is preparing sea-launched drone strikes on those three countries, the Independent reported, citing Spanish newspaper El Mundo. That warning followed CIA director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow. Lithuanian officials believe Russia could launch an explosive-laden Gerbera drone from the sea to damage a port or airport, according to the report.
A string of suspected sabotage incidents, all blamed on Moscow, has hit Europe already. None has crossed into direct military conflict, the Independent reported.
On the ground, the fighting has slowed. In the air, it has spread. Russia gained just 90 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in August, down from 505 a year earlier, as long-range drones disrupt supply lines on both sides, the Guardian reported. Ukrainian strikes have helped cut Russian crude oil production by 7.7% over the past year, according to International Energy Agency figures cited by the Guardian.
The EU has also sanctioned Xenia Fedorova, a former senior executive at Russia Today's French division, for spreading "pro-Russian narratives" tied to the war, the Independent reported.
December's summit is set for Miami. Peskov said a decision on Putin's attendance "will be worked on and then agreed upon."