Europe Today: EU defence ministers meet amid increased Russia threats as French election campaign gathers pace

The United States recently hosted a meeting of the G20 countries in Asheville, North Carolina, featuring Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov despite objections from some finance leaders. The move irked G20 ministers, who viewed Russia's involvement as problematic following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski expressed unhappiness with Russia's representation, stating he was reluctant to engage with Russia due to concerns about its aggressive actions.

Russian Finance Minister Siluanov met privately with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to discuss financial cooperation within the G20 framework. However, the US delegation denied access to certain journalists, including teams from Bloomberg News, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, citing a responsibility to report factual information consistent with journalistic standards.

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil criticized the inclusion of Siluanov, stating Europe was preparing further sanctions against Russia until the war ends. G20 finance ministers and central bank governors had traditionally held a family photo, but Siluanov's presence resulted in his absence from the event. US Treasury Secretary Bessent emphasized the need for global economic growth to address a debt overhang from the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.