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further upended the West's position by criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the war, which marks its third anniversary next week.

Rubio decided not to attend the G20 meeting over some of its policies that the Trump administration has condemned as anti-American. The U.S. will be represented by Acting Ambassador to South Africa Dana Brown.

is made up of 19 of the world's major economies and the European Union. Those taking part Thursday included and .

While South Africa, which holds the G20 presidency this year, hopes that the meeting will make progress on issues affecting the developing world like debt refinancing and climate change, one of the first sessions will involve discussions on the global geopolitical situation, according to the agenda.

Britain, France, Germany and the EU have all pledged and condemned Russia's aggression, while seeking to be . The G20 meeting in South Africa offers European nations a chance to speak with a united voice on the Russia-Ukraine war and any peace process

The G20 is supposed to bring countries together to create a foundation for global economic stability and development. But the grouping often struggles to reach any meaningful consensus on issues because of the disparate interests of the U.S., Europe, Russia and China.

Rubio's decision to boycott this week's meeting and his pledge to also skip the main G20 summit in South Africa in November threatens to further undermine the G20's effectiveness. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said he will not attend a G20 finance ministers meeting in South Africa next week.

The Trump administration this month that cut all U.S. aid and assistance to the country over what it called its anti-American stance. The order criticized South Africa's decision to in an ongoing case at the United Nations' top court as veiled support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The Trump administration also cited what it called South Africa's relationship with Iran and the Communist Party in China.

Rubio has rejected South Africa's theme for its G20 presidency, which is “solidarity, equality and sustainability.”

“In other words: DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and climate change,” Rubio wrote on X. “My job is to advance America’s national interests, not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism."

South Africa downplayed suggestions that Rubio's absence was undermining its G20 presidency. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said on the eve of the meeting in Johannesburg that there was “not a complete boycott of South Africa’s G20" by the U.S.

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Associated Press writer Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa, contributed to this report.