Russian Official to Attend G20 Energy Meeting in Houston Next Week, White House Official Says

By Reuters Sep. 11, 2026 Russian Foreign Ministry A Russian official will attend a G20 energy meeting in Houston next week, a White House official said on Friday. Last month, the U.S. welcomed Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to a meeting of G20 countries in North Carolina. The move upset European officials, as it was the first time Russia's finance minister had attended the forum in person since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Abundance will take place from Monday to Wednesday with U.S. officials including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and White House official Jarrod Agen. The White House did not immediately say who would attend next week's meeting from Russia. Energy officials from Europe and Asia are also expected to attend. European Union efforts to become independent from Russian oil and gas are faltering, just as it heads into winter with unusually low gas ​stocks, its auditors said this month. Despite the meeting's name, the wars in Ukraine and Iran have made energy security a worry for many countries. U.S. diesel hit a record of more than $6 a gallon this week, Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas shipments, and construction of U.S. data centers is straining power supplies. U.S. President Donald ​Trump said on Wednesday that he had a "great" ‌conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the week and that the Russian leader wanted to make a deal to end the war ​in Ukraine. Despite recent visits by U.S. envoys to Moscow and Kyiv, intelligence officials in the U.S., Ukraine and throughout ​Europe doubt Putin is seriously ​interested in ⁠ending the war. The U.S. House of Representatives will likely vote on fresh Russian sanctions during the G20 meeting, but it is uncertain if the bill will pass that chamber as it did in the U.S. Senate. The Trump administration first imposed sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine in October 2025, blocking transactions and freezing assets of its top two oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. Read more about: United States , G20 Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more White House to Invite Putin to G20 Summit in Miami, Though Trump Doubts He’ll Attend The Kremlin leader last attended a G20 summit in person in 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic. 2 Min read U.S.-Russian Woman Jailed 12 Years for Donating Money to Pro-Ukraine Charity Ksenia Karelina, a spa employee in Los Angeles, was arrested in January while visiting her family in the city of Yekaterinburg. 2 Min read Russia Frees Political Prisoners, Journalists in Landmark Exchange With West Evan Gershkovich, a former Moscow Times reporter, is among over a dozen journalists and political prisoners released from Russian prison. 6 Min read Russian Media Blames U.S. Diplomat for Embassy Incident, Despite Video ADD CORRECT TEXT