Russian finance minister makes surprise appearance at G20

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov made an unexpected in-person appearance at the US-hosted G20 finance leaders’ meeting on Monday, drawing criticism from some European officials over his presence at the gathering following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Siluanov also held bilateral talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday morning, according to the US Treasury Department.

Finance ministers and central bank governors from the G20 major economies are meeting for two days in Asheville, North Carolina, as Washington seeks support for increased economic pressure on Iran and explores measures to strengthen global growth.

Siluanov’s attendance, reportedly his first in-person participation at a G20 finance meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has angered some Western officials.

At a G20 finance ministers’ meeting in 2022, when Siluanov participated virtually, the United States under then-President Joe Biden led a group of countries in walking out as Russian officials addressed the gathering.

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Monday that he would have preferred Washington to make clear that Siluanov would not be treated like a regular participant.

“Receiving the Russian finance minister here sends a signal I find troubling,” Klingbeil told reporters.

The United States currently holds the rotating G20 presidency.

White House spokesman Kush Desai defended the decision to engage with Russian officials, saying the Trump administration was working with Moscow to reach an agreement that would end the war in Ukraine.

“The president and the administration will never shy away from talking with the folks we need to talk to,” Desai told AFP, adding that this was part of Washington’s efforts at the G20.

Klingbeil said he directly told Siluanov during a plenary session that Russia must end the war and that Germany and its partners continue to support Ukraine.

He also said he had told European colleagues beforehand that he would not participate in a joint photograph with Siluanov, arguing that such a “family photo” would go too far.

During their bilateral meeting, Bessent advocated for President Donald Trump’s Ukraine peace plan, a US official said.

Trump has repeatedly pressed Moscow and Kyiv to reach an agreement to end the fighting. However, an initial 28-point US proposal, which was seen as closely reflecting several Russian demands, faced criticism from Ukraine and European governments.