Kallas accuses Lavrov of spreading 'lies' at G20 ministerial in Atlanta

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov presented "a lot of lies, a lot of false narratives" at a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday and Saturday.

The session, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of December's full G20 leaders' summit in Miami, was dominated by the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. A European diplomatic source described Lavrov's statements to AFP as "quite provocative," with European ministers pushing back at Friday's plenary.

At a press conference after the talks, Lavrov criticised European attendees for what he called an "arrogant boycott," an apparent reference to many officials declining to pose for a group photo with him. He also praised the Trump administration for its willingness to engage with Moscow.

Lavrov had earlier criticised the decision to invite Poland to the G20 meeting, saying Warsaw's presence "contributes nothing" and "violates the principles of diplomacy." Rubio responded by expressing support for Poland's full membership, saying President Trump believes strongly that Poland deserves a seat at the table.