U.S. President Joe Biden, just two months away from the end of his term, was noticeably absent from the group photo at the 19th G20 Summit, which was held on Monday at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
World leaders, including South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gathered for a commemorative group photo in front of a backdrop displaying the words “Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty,” with Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance.
While the leaders smiled, shook hands, and clapped for photographers, Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau missed the session. Afterward, Biden and Trudeau were seen conversing, having arrived late to the photo op.
Local media outlet G1 reported that Biden arrived after the photo session had concluded and was excluded from the official photo. Cameras later captured Biden briefly speaking with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before heading back to the conference hall.
Given the G20 Summit’s significance and the United States’ prominent role on the global stage, the absence of such key leaders at the photo session raised eyebrows. However, the White House clarified that this photo was not the official G20 group photo but one taken specifically for the Hunger and Poverty Eradication meeting.
Some speculated that Biden may have intentionally delayed his appearance to avoid contact with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who attended on behalf of President Vladimir Putin.
In past G20 Summits—held in Bali, Indonesia, in 2022 and in New Delhi, India, in 2023—leaders refrained from taking group photos, citing their refusal to stand alongside Russia, which invaded Ukraine.
In the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held in Peru earlier this month, Biden was assigned a spot at the far edge of the back row in the group photo. This positioning drew criticism from Fox News and some U.S. media, which described it as awkward.
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