US brings back Russia’s Siluanov to G20 finance talks, angering Europe

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has created a surprise appearance at United States-hosted G20 finance negotiations in North Carolina, sparking frustration and dismay among European ministers and authorities.

Key points

• He held a bilateral session with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, with Russia's Ministry of Finance saying the two men discussed financial cooperation within the G20 framework.
• Although he recognised the right of G20 hosts to invite guests, polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski remarked he was unhappy to see Moscow represented.
• The US, which at present holds the rotating G20 presidency, did not invite South Africa, last year's G20 host, to the gathering.
• Certain reporters from major US newsrooms, including The New York Times and Bloomberg News, were not granted credentials to cover the gathering.
• German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil remarked the US's decision to welcome Siluanov sent a "signal I find troubling".

Siluanov's appearance at the discussions in Asheville on Monday marks the first time the minister. This person was appointed in 2011, has attended a G20 gathering in person since Moscow introduced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Meanwhile, a US official remarked the gathering focused on US President Donald Trump's peace plan for Ukraine.

Asked regarding the invitation to Siluanov, Trump stated to journalists: "We like getting along with everybody. One of the reasons I'm so successful, I obtain along with everybody." European office-holders, nevertheless, criticised the move.

"We do not trust Russia. They lie constantly, and you need to be really, really cautious while discussing with them, " ⁠he informed the Reuters news agency, stressing that Russia was the aggressor in its conflict with Ukraine.

"So for me, it would be very difficult to have any kind of conversation with Russia."

He remarked he informed Siluanov during a plenary session that Moscow had to end the war and "that we clearly support Ukraine".

He additionally stated Europe was preparing a further package of sanctions against Russia and hoped for close cooperation with Washington on the measures.

European ministers and central bankers additionally resisted appearing with Siluanov in the traditional G20 "family photo", European authorities remarked. The photograph was ultimately taken without the Russian minister.

Klingbeil remarked European office-holders, including European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, had discussed Russia's involvement on Sunday and agreed that maintaining an avenue for dialogue could allow them to deliver a frank message to Moscow.

"However, the mere fact that the Russian finance minister is back – after, I believe, four G20 meetings without Russian participation – indicates an attempt at normalisation, and that makes it all the more important for us to push back, " he remarked.

When his virtual participation prompted office-holders from Canada, the United Kingdom, the US, and the European Central Bank to walk out, siluanov's appearance marked a sharp contrast with the G20 session in Washington, DC, in April 2022. White House defends discussions with Russia.

Asked regarding Siluanov's attendance, White House spokesman Kush Desai informed the AFP news agency that the Trump administration had been working with Russia to push for a accord that "would stop the endless bloodshed that the president has really condemned".

"The president and the administration will never shy away from talking with the folks we need to talk to, to further that, " he remarked. "That's what we're working on here at the G20."

Separately, Reuters and AFP, citing sources familiar with the Washington-Moscow discussions, stated Bessent had created clear that the US would not provide Russia with economic relief until war in Ukraine was over.

Trump has pushed Moscow and Kyiv to reach a accord to halt the fighting, but an initial 28-point plan that largely adhered to Russia's demands was criticised by Ukraine and European governments.

Notably, the US, which at present holds the rotating G20 presidency, did not invite South Africa, last year's G20 host, to the gathering. Poland, which is not a permanent G20 member, was invited.

Meanwhile, the decision was condemned by the National Press Club. It remarked that "no administration should be allowed to handpick the press corps that scrutinizes it".

For context, the two-day session comes as global debt levels have reached a record of almost $353 trillion and the global economy faces an energy shock triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. The discussions additionally come against the backdrop of rising tensions over China's substantial trade surplus and uncertainty over the effects of a surge in artificial intelligence investment.

Taken together, the developments around US brings back Russia's Siluanov to G20 finance talks, angering Europe point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.