Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov made a surprise appearance at United States-hosted G20 finance talks in Asheville, North Carolina, sparking immediate frustration and dismay among European ministers and officials. According to reports from Reuters and AFP, Siluanov’s attendance on Monday marked the first time the Russian official has attended a G20 meeting in person since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Bilateral Talks on Trump Peace Plan and Economic Relief
During the summit, Siluanov held a bilateral meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. According to Russia’s Ministry of Finance, the two men discussed financial cooperation within the G20 framework. A US official stated that the conversation instead focused primarily on US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine. When asked by reporters about inviting the Russian minister, Trump defended the diplomatic outreach, stating according to Reuters, “We like getting along with everybody. One of the reasons I’m so successful, I get along with everybody.”
Separately, sources familiar with the Washington-Moscow talks told Reuters and AFP that Bessent made clear to Russian counterparts that Washington will not provide Moscow with economic relief until the war in Ukraine ends.
European Officials Condemn the Return to Normalcy
European representatives at the summit strongly criticized the American decision to reintegrate Moscow into high-level financial discussions. Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski told Reuters that he was unhappy to see Russia represented, even while acknowledging the logistical right of G20 hosts to invite guests.
“We do not trust Russia. They lie constantly, and you need to be really, really cautious while discussing with them,” Domanski said, emphasizing that Russia remains the aggressor in the conflict. “So for me, it would be very difficult to have any kind of conversation with Russia.”
German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil called the move a troubling signal that indicates an attempt at normalization. Klingbeil stated that he confronted Siluanov during a plenary session to demand an end to the war and reaffirm European support for Ukraine. European officials also discussed additional economic sanctions against Moscow on Sunday, coordinating with the hope of close cooperation with Washington, according to Klingbeil.
Boycott of the G20 Family Photo
The friction over Siluanov’s presence spilled over into traditional summit protocols. European ministers and central bankers, including European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, opposed appearing alongside the Russian minister in the customary G20 “family photo,” according to European officials. Photographers ultimately captured the group picture without the Russian finance minister.
The boycott echoes an earlier protest from April 2022, when officials from Canada, the United Kingdom, the US, and the European Central Bank walked out of a virtual G20 meeting in Washington, DC, when Siluanov attempted to speak.
White House Defense of the Outreach
Defending the administration’s strategy, White House spokesman Kush Desai told AFP that the Trump administration has actively worked with Russia to secure a deal that would stop ongoing bloodshed. “The president and the administration will never shy away from talking with the folks we need to talk to, to further that,” Desai said. “That’s what we’re working on here at the G20.”
