Kremlin Says Putin Invited to G20 Summit, Thanks Organizers

The Kremlin's careful phrasing — acknowledging the invitation, thanking the organizers and routing the matter through diplomatic channels — signals that attendance is being treated as a bargaining chip rather than a scheduling question. For a G20 host, the value lies in securing a confirmed leader-level presence; for Moscow, the invitation itself is a form of recognition it can hold open without paying any cost. Whether the invitation converts into an actual decision, or remains a deliberate non-answer, is the open question.