G20 Foreign Ministers

The U.S. has scrapped plans for a photo of top diplomats of the Group of 20 largest world economies as talks begin. Several Europeans objected to being photographed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday and threatened to walk out of it. The cancellation of the traditional opening event underscores the rifts in the G20 over global crises that threaten international security and trade. Two U.S. officials say Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to cancel the photograph after determining it would be a distraction. Rubio opened the meeting saying he hoped it can be productive as diplomats face “severe threats to essential foundations of the global economic order.”