Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host a meeting of the foreign ministers from Australia, India, and Japan on Saturday, a significant gathering as plans progress for a leaders' summit in Manila next month. This will be the third such ministerial meeting this year for the Indo-Pacific Quad.
The Quad leaders' summit, scheduled to take place during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) conference in the Philippine capital from November 15-18, will mark the first leaders' summit since 2024 and the first under President Donald Trump's administration. The formal Quad leaders' summits did not commence until President Joe Biden assumed office in 2021.
Following the Quad ministers' meeting, Secretary Rubio is set to conclude the G20 major economies' ministerial meeting in Atlanta, which spans two days. According to the State Department schedule, invitations have been extended to the ministers to attend a college football game. Rubio's eldest son, Anthony, plays running back for the University of Florida, which is scheduled to compete against the University of Georgia.
Speaking at a reception on Friday evening, Secretary Rubio reiterated his call for enhanced cooperation among G20 members in addressing complex economic and geopolitical challenges. He emphasized the shared responsibility to work collaboratively where national interests align, stating, "The future of our nations depends on our willingness to understand that while our interests may not always align, we should always seek to work together to advance them when and where they do align."
Earlier on Friday, the G20 meeting highlighted significant divisions among member states concerning the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The traditional group photograph was reportedly canceled after certain European delegations declined to be photographed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Secretary Rubio, who is scheduled to hold a press conference upon the conclusion of the meetings on Saturday, expressed hope that the G20 foreign ministers would lay the groundwork for a successful leaders' summit planned for December 14-15 at Trump's Doral golf resort.
