G20 cancels family photo after European diplomats refuse to pose with Russian minister

European diplomats declined to stand for an official group photograph alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, prompting the American hosts to cancel the planned picture.

Two officials confirmed to the BBC that the so-called family photo, usually taken with representatives of all attending nations, was scrapped on Friday.

The summit is being hosted in Atlanta by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband addressed Lavrov directly at the meeting, stating that there was no doubt about which side was the aggressor in the war, and accused the Russian government of killing civilians in Ukraine.

Speaking to G20 foreign ministers, Miliband said member nations needed to intensify efforts to achieve a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine. He said the war had caused widespread global damage, including thousands of civilian deaths and disruption to energy and food supplies that has worsened insecurity around food availability.

He added that the conflict posed a challenge not only to Europe or Nato but to the wider international community, calling for continued economic and diplomatic pressure to cut off revenue streams supporting Russia's actions in Ukraine.